Men rate themselves better at parking, but are they really?

Only 22 per cent of women described their parking ability as 'excellent'. Photo / 123RF

Men rate themselves better at parking than women do, according to the findings of the 2016 AA Insurance Driver survey.

Of the 1068 Kiwis surveyed, 85 per cent of drivers were confident in their parking ability, but deeper analysis revealed a stark difference between how the two genders rated themselves.

While 93 per cent of men said they were confident parkers, only 78 per cent of women responded affirmatively.

Almost half of men, 42 per cent, described their ability as "excellent", whereas only 22 per cent of women used this term.

However, confidence doesn't necessarily make for a better driver.

According to NZTA statistics men were drivers in 71 per cent of fatal crashes and 57 per cent of crashes were someone was hurt.

While women may be more unsure than men when we it came to parking, the survey revealed both genders were similarly confident in their driving.

Nine out of 10 women (90 per cent) said they were confident behind the wheel, compared to 96 per cent of men.

Despite most survey respondents rating both their driving and parking abilities highly, the insurance company said 69 per cent of men and 63 per cent of women surveyed admitted they had crashed a car.

One parking mishap which happened to an AA Insurance customer resulted in the woman pinning her partner between her car and their house when she accidentally put her car into reverse and hit the accelerator.

Another customer's overconfidence caused irreparable damage to a car worth $9000 when he misjudged a gap in traffic while turning right off a busy main road. His vehicle collided with an oncoming car, causing irreparable damage to the other car.

AA Insurance customer relations manager Amelia Macandrew said both people fortunately had full insurance.

"But it just goes to show you that no matter what your level of driving confidence, accidents can and do happen.

"You may consider yourself extremely careful, but you can't control what other drivers do, so it really pays to protect your vehicle, and your back pocket, from the costs associated with these types of accidents."

Key stats from the study
• 85 per cent of Kiwis rated themselves as confident at parking
• 10 per cent thought they could improve their parking
• 4 per cent said they avoided some types of car parks, like parallel parks
• 93 said they were confident drivers
• 38 per cent of men and 26 per cent of women said their skills behind the wheel were excellent

What to do if you crash your car:
• Check everyone involved in the collision is all right and phone emergency services if needed
• Move the vehicles out of traffic when it's safe to do so
• Make sure you have a pen and paper in your car so you can write down details
• You'll want the other driver's registration number, name, contact number and address
• Photograph the scene and damage
• Contact your insurer as soon as possible
• Give them as much information as possible and leave it to them, don't try to organise your claim yourself