If you have scratched or smashed your car while parking you are not alone, according to new data released this week there are more than 3.74 million drivers who have done the same.

And according to the research from Skoda UK, the total bill for all those prangs and dents is an eye-watering £1.5billion.

The research from the Czech car manufacturer revealed the real dangers of parking your car, with a total of 11 per cent of the nation’s driving population having seriously damaged their own car while looking for a space to park in the last year.

Skoda polled 2,000 motorists and four in ten were honest enough to admit that they had accidently hit another car when opening their door as they got out their vehicle - though how honest they were at the time remains to be seen.

Parking disagreements are also common on the car parks of Britain, with 19 per cent of those surveyed admitting they have had an argument with another motorist, 14 per cent have even stopped talking to their other half because of a parking problem.

“While many people feel confident in their parking capabilities the numbers show motorists have forked out significant sums in the last 12 months repairing their cars from parking mishaps,” a spokesman for Skoda said.

“The advanced technology on our cars means they no longer have to do the parking themselves. Driver aids, such as the Park Assist function on our Kodiaq family SUV, help reduce stress around parking and should see the number of parking prangs decrease so Brits won’t be hurt where it hurts most - in the pocket.”

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