The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Victoria Smith
Many male drivers have long claimed that women are the more clumsy sex behind the wheel – particularly when parking.
But figures suggest that women are in fact far better at manoeuvring the car into cramped spaces.
According to a new study, men are far more likely than women to be involved in a mishap when parking – but are also more inclined to believe they are good at it.
More than one in five male drivers – 21 per cent – admitted to being involved in a minor collision when parking in the last year, compared to 14 per cent of females.
The prangs included hitting other vehicles and bumping into objects like bollards, walls and fences while trying to manoeuvre into spaces.
Six per cent of men had seven accidents in the last year, a new study claims
And 16 per cent of men have hit another car or stationary object up to four times in the last year while parking, compared to just eight per cent of women. Men were also found to be 50 per cent more likely to hit another car while parking than women. Six per cent of men admitted up to seven accidents over the timeframe, compared to just four per cent of women.
But despite the findings showing women are better at parking, more than half of men – 53 per cent – rate themselves as good parkers, compared to just 37 per cent of women.
Insurance firm Forbes Advisor asked 2,000 UK adults how many car park prangs they have had from July last year to August this year.
Almost one in four across both sexes – 23 per cent – confessed to either hitting or scraping obstacles when parking in the last year. But almost half – 45 per cent – reckon they are proficient parkers.
More than one in ten admit they park in the middle of two bays because they lack confidence in tight spaces and want plenty of room either side. And nearly a fifth of both men and women – 18 per cent – say they hate the manoeuvre so much they choose to park further away to avoid people watching them. Some 13 per cent of all polled even said they would choose to park a ten-minute walk away, in order to stop in a quiet spot.
Forbes Advisor spokesman Kevin Pratt said: ‘While developments in car tech, such as car park assist and self-park features, may make it easier for drivers to manoeuvre into spaces, many cars on the roads still do not have these capabilities.
‘Our research show many drivers – especially men – are struggling to get into spaces, resulting in accidents that could impact on their car insurance premiums.’
He added: ‘When attempting to park, it’s important to take your time and remove any distractions such as loud music or objects in the rear-view mirror. This should help you to reduce the risk of bumping into cars or obstacles nearby.’
