Carpark dings: it's hit and run

Photo / The Daily Post

Dishonesty appears to be rampant among Kiwi drivers when it comes to crashing into other people's parked cars, especially if nobody is looking.

An AA Insurance survey has found almost 90 per cent of people whose parked vehicles have been damaged were left with no details of offenders.

As a cautionary message to drivers rushing to complete their Christmas shopping, the company yesterday reported an almost 21 per cent increase - to 456 - in claims it paid out in the year to August 31 for vehicles damaged while parked.

That compared with 377 in the previous 12 months, and represented 9.4 per cent of its vehicle payouts, which included cover for thefts.

The average cost of payouts for damage to parked vehicles also rose, by 8 per cent, from $1481 last year to $1595 over the 12 months to August.

AA Insurance operations head Martin Fox said 70 per cent of 3477 policy holders who responded to the survey reported damage to their parked vehicles.

Of those suffering damage, 89.6 per cent said they were left with no details by offending parties, whether drivers, passengers opening doors on other vehicles, or shoppers losing control of supermarket trolleys.

The figures were even higher in Auckland, with a 91 per cent evasion rate out of 838 cases, and on the North Island's central plateau, where no one "fessed up" to any of 11 incidents.

Wairarapa drivers appeared the most honest, with a 24 per cent confession rate.

Mr Fox said the findings were disappointing, and he urged those causing damage to other people's property in the pre-Christmas rush to "do the right thing" by supplying their details so innocent parties were not left out of pocket.

"I like to think true blue Kiwi people are pretty upright and honest - but where someone hasn't left their details, that's not exactly the Christmas spirit, is it?

"We just feel sorry for the person who has done nothing wrong, returns to their car then gets a bill for $1600 - they don't know who caused the damage so they have to pay their policy excess."

Mr Fox said his company at least had a guaranteed no-claims bonus, which policy holders would not forfeit as innocent victims of collisions.

But some other companies could add up to $300 to insurance premiums as well as requiring excess payments of $300 or $400.

He urged those returning to their cars to find them damaged, but with no sign of offenders' details, to check with security staff in case of any CCTV footage.

The questions:

"Has your car ever been damaged while it has been parked?"
Yes 2446
No 1031

"Did the driver who caused the damage leave their details?"
Yes 255
No 2187

AA Insurance survey