Car park chaos most common at Easter

Auckland, 25 March 2013 – In a new twist, Easter is now the time of year your car is most likely to be damaged while parked, according to the latest AA Insurance claims data. Previously, the busy build-up to Christmas saw most car park incidents but Easter 2012 was the first time that claims surpassed the Christmas rush.

AA Insurance claims data showed a spike in claims for the day before Good Friday, followed by a drop on Good Friday (due to shops being closed). There was then another spike in claims on Easter Saturday when the shops reopened.

Christmas claims typically increase on the days leading up to Christmas Eve, as well as during the Boxing Day and New Year sales. The biggest spikes are seen on 22 and 23 December, and to a lesser extent on Boxing Day, and again on 3 January during the busy sales period.

The average cost for a car that’s damaged while parked was around $1,500 for 2012 with the majority of incidents occurring while cars were reversing out of a car park, and often when two cars reversed out of their respective car parks and into each other.

One claim example involved a customer who was reversing out of a car park and struck a courier van that was stopped on yellow lines. Even though the van was illegally parked, the responsibility is with the driver to look for obstructions at all times while driving. The cost to repair the courier van was over $600.

“Even small bumps or car park prangs can cost a substantial amount of money, so it’s important that you’re covered by insurance. Even if you’re at fault you will only have to pay the excess, which can be a lot less than having to foot the entire repair bill yourself,” said Suzanne Wolton, Head of Customer Relations, AA Insurance.

Another common incident involved people opening their car doors as another motorist pulls up beside them, causing damage to both vehicles.

Another car park-related claim example involved a customer who was parked and opened his door into another car as it was driving into the space beside him. He caused around $1,500 worth of damage to his own car’s door, as well as damage to the front of the other driver’s car. In these cases responsibility is on the driver in the parked car rather than the car driving.

“It’s up to the person in the parked car to ensure it’s safe to open their car door, whether you’re parked in a supermarket car park or by the side of the road,” added Suzanne. “It sounds obvious but anyone getting in or out of a car must make sure the coast is clear before opening the door. If you don’t and an incident occurs, you could be held accountable.”
AA Insurance’s guide to car park etiquette
1. Take your time – many accidents are caused by frustration and impatience
2. Don’t just rely on your mirrors – look over your shoulder
3. Do your bit – returning shopping trollies to the bays
4. Use indicators every time you turn
5. If you do hit another parked vehicle, leave a note with your details
6. If you witness a collision, pass on any information you have to the innocent party
7. If your car is damaged and no one has left a note, report it to the car park security or mall firm – the incident may have been caught on CCTV

ENDS
About AA Insurance
AA Insurance was launched in 1994 and is a joint venture between New Zealand Automobile Association and Suncorp.
AA Insurance employs around 580 staff servicing more than 280,000 customers and manages over 500,000 policies covering motor, home and contents insurance.
AA Insurance was named as New Zealand’s best workplace at the 2011 JRA Best Workplaces Survey, winning the overall award and the large company category. From 2008 to 2012 AA Insurance has consistently been a finalist.
AA Insurance was also named winner of the 2012 New Zealand Insurance Industry Awards for Direct Insurance Company of the Year, as well as voted Most Trusted Insurer by New Zealanders in the Insurance Providers category of the 2012 Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brands survey, conducted by Catalyst Research.
AA Insurance Limited has an A+ (Strong) Insurer Financial Strength Rating given by Standard and Poor’s (Australia) Pty Ltd. For further information visit www.aainsurance.co.nz.
AA Insurance is proud to support youth charity Blue Light as its principle corporate sponsor.

© Scoop Media