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BRITAIN HIT BY 'DENT & RUN' DRIVERS
'Fender Bender' collisions cost £5 billion
01 November, 2006
British motorists have shelled out over £5 billion* to repair car damage caused by dishonest drivers who 'dent and run', a survey by eBayMotors.co.uk reveals today.
Known as 'Fender Bender' crimes in the US, the problem is escalating in Britain with a staggering 64% (22 million) of innocent motorists returning to their cars to find damage done, but no note left.
The eBay Motors study found that the average driver has shelled out almost £340 to repair the resulting damage. It ranges from minor dents, nicks and scratches to the more serious cases of broken tail lights, bumpers and smashed wing mirrors.
Sports car and MPV/4X4 drivers are the hardest hit by 'dent & run', each spending over £700 and £450 on repairs respectively.
The study also revealed:
- Half the drivers (50.2%) polled admitted they would 'dent & run'
- Only 2% of drivers who witnessed a 'dent & run' crime would physically intervene to collar the culprit face to face and insist they left their name and reg details?but 56% of us would secretly take note of the culprit's details and leave a note on the windscreen of the damaged car.
- Women appear to be more skilled drivers than men. 17% of men caused damage to another car while reversing and squeezing into a parking space compared to only 10% of women.
Most popular prangs
The most common 'dent & run' incident is scratching paintwork with a car door with over two thirds of drivers saying they wouldn't bother to leave a note if they caused this sort of damage.
Top five UK 'dent & run' crimes
- Paintwork scratches (68%)
- Wing mirror damage (61%)
- Bumper dents caused by bad reversing (56%)
- Smashed headlights (33%)
- Damaged bodywork (33%)
Londoners are the least likely to confess to their crimes - they?re twice as likely to NEVER leave their contact details after a minor bump or scratch compared to the national average.
Top five reasons to 'dent & run'
How do 'dent & run' drivers justify their crime? The study found that the excuses ranged from laziness to sheer sneakiness.
- The damage could have been there already (46%)
- The other driver was partly responsible (e.g. he blocked me in) (37%)
- No witnesses saw me do it (19%)
- I was in a hurry and had no pen (12%)
- I was worried about my no claims bonus (8%)
Motoring expert Mike Brewer claims the increase in 'dent & run' collisions are part of a wider increase in minor accidents and prangs across the UK.
"It seems that a short stay in a British car park can now leave you with a dent in your bank balance as well as your paintwork. Three quarters (74%) of us have been on the receiving end of some type of damage in a car park and 38% on the high street, yet despite this the research shows we're taking them less seriously than ever."
Richard Kanareck from eBaymotors.co.uk, the UK's biggest online forecourt, comments: "Even the most careful drivers make mistakes. When it comes to trading a car though, it's important there aren't any hidden surprises for the buyer or seller, especially as more and more sales happen online."
"Our advice is to view as many photos of a potential purchase as possible and don't be afraid to ask questions about the car's accident history before you bid."
Other highlights from eBay Motor's Fender Bender study
- 51% of British drivers have scratched another car's paintwork
- 'Chelsea Tractor' 4x4 drivers are the least skilled drivers, with their bulk causing damage while reversing (21%) and opening car doors (22%). This compares to 10% of estate owners who damage while reversing and opening car doors (12%)
- Londoners have the most trouble parking with 30% of drivers in the metropolis having damaged another car while parking, 10% more than the national average.
Notes to Editors:
* £5,156,495,453. Figure based on the national average cost of £337.76 to repair damage done to car by other drivers who have left no contact details. This is multiplied by the number of drivers (44%) in the UK who had to pay for their own repairs after a minor accident due to no contact details being left by the culprit (15,266,744). Source: ebay Motors and ICM Research, October 2006 and National Statistics Office, Jan 2006
ICM Research surveyed a random sample of 1009 adults aged 18+ from its online panel between 13-15 October 2006. Surveys were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all GB adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk.
Total number of registered car driving license owners in the UK is 34,697,146. Source: National Statistics office, Jan 2006.
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