AAMI: ‘Tis the season for car park prangs

Analysis of more than 23,000 car park insurance claims across the country from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023 has revealed the highest number of shopping centre car park collisions occurred in December (2,423), followed by January (2,053).

There were around 22 per cent more car park crashes in December than the monthly average for the 12 months to 30 November 2023.

The Melbourne suburb of Doncaster, home to one of the biggest shopping centres in Victoria, has been named as Australia’s worst hotspot for car park collisions for the second year in a row.

The research also found that Friday, closely followed by Saturday and then Thursday, are the worst days of the week for shopping centre car park collisions, while the afternoon between midday and 4pm is the worst time of day.

22 per cent of shopping centre car park collisions occurred when at least one driver was reversing.

Female drivers are also the most likely to find themselves in a car park collision.

AAMI Motor Claims Manager Leah James said: "It's the busiest time of year for shopping centres, which transform into the 'Hunger Games' of parking, as desperate shoppers battle it out to find a car park.  

“Busy shopping centres mean crazy car parks, and unfortunately with that comes an increase in accidents.

“Typically – outside of the festive season, drivers expect to find a car park within 3-5 minutes. However, during December and January, when car parks are busy, finding a spot can become a 15-to-30-minute nightmare, or longer for those hell bent on securing a park.

"The longer we spend doing laps of the car park and stalking shoppers, the more frustrated we become, which can quickly lead to erratic driving and a higher chance of being in a collision.

"A particular danger to watch-out for in car parks this year are electric vehicles. With so many now on our roads, both drivers and pedestrians need to be on the lookout for these as they are virtually silent, so you can't rely on engine noises to alert you that one is creeping up or reversing. Likewise, EV drivers need to be mindful that their car doesn't emit the usual warning sounds, so lookout for pedestrians, particularly children, and other drivers who might not notice you.

"While we can't control what's going on in the car park, we can adapt our own behaviour behind the wheel. As you hit the shops, keep calm, minimise distractions and avoid dashing through the car park to avoid an unwanted car park prang before Christmas."