Brits ‘spend more than a day a year looking for parking’

British drivers are spending more than a day a year looking for parking, according to a new survey.

Data has revealed that the average British driver will spend 26 hours and 21 minutes a year in an attempt to find their perfect spot, with many motorists admitting to circling around car parks multiple times to leave their car in the ‘right’ spot.

In addition, one-fifth of those people surveyed admitted that they found parking to be the most embarrassing part of daily driving, while 17 per cent said reverse parking caused them the most amount of grief while behind the wheel.

The results, collated by car insurance firm 1st Central, also found that one-fifth of the 2,000 drivers polled had either hit their own car or pranged another vehicle when trying to park. Another five per cent claimed to have given up entirely at some point and driven away rather than complete the parking manoeuvre.

Andy James, UK chief executive at 1st Central, said: “Parking can cause drivers to become flustered behind the wheel, especially on busy roads or at peak times in car parks. Nobody enjoys seeing a queue of people form behind them while trying to manoeuvre into a tight spot.

“However, it is important to remember not to rush your reverse or panic during your parallel. Take it slowly and don’t get distracted by those around you to avoid having an unnecessary accident.”

The local high street topped a list of the ‘most embarrassing places to park’, followed by multi-storey car parks and supermarkets. Parking outside their own house came in eighth place, showing that many drivers struggle to relax behind the wheel even when arriving home.