Number of U.K. drivers providing info after hitting parked car on the rise

Drivers in the United Kingdom might be becoming more honest, based on results from an AXA survey.

The insurer analyzed more than 30,000 claims between 2010 and 2012 where a driver had hit a parked car. Claims where the driver who hit the car came forward were separated from those where the driver left without leaving contact information.

Since 2010, the proportion of crashes where the third party was unknown (meaning that the driver whose vehicle hit a parked vehicle did not come forward) has fallen by 16%, AXA’s analysis suggests.

In more than 80% of cases, drivers who hit a parked vehicle made themselves known to the owner and provided insurance details, the company said.

The average collision involving a parked car caused £762.89 (C$1198.76) worth of damage, although AXA said it received claims as high as £16,500 (C$25,927.04).

“While we tend to hear horror stories of fraudsters causing deliberate accidents or faking injuries to receive a payout, the Honesty Barometer proves what we’ve always believed: that the vast majority of drivers are honest and trustworthy,” Amanda Edwards, from AXA car insurance, noted.

“The data highlights that not only do eight out of 10 of us do the right thing and come forward after hitting a parked car, but that this proportion is on the increase. It’s reassuring to see that despite facing rising costs, U.K. motorists are keeping their integrity.”