By analyzing the behavior of nearly 1,000 drivers, automotive experts have identified the car brand that misses parking the most. And the result will surprise you.
Drivers of certain sports cars or electric SUVs are often wrongly accused of ignoring the rules of courtesy. However, a recent European study has shaken up preconceived ideas. By analyzing the behavior of nearly 1,000 motorists in several major European cities, automotive experts were able to identify the car brand whose owners commit the most parking violations or errors. So, who are the worst drivers when parking?
To draw up this surprising assessment, the British platform DiscoverCars.com commissioned observers to analyze the behavior of 913 vehicles in the parking lots of five major European cities, including: Manchester, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam and Barcelona. The experts carefully checked compliance with ground markings, cars overlapping two spaces, as well as illegal parking in spaces reserved for people with reduced mobility. The objective was clear: to determine whether the prestige of a logo influenced the rigor of the maneuvers.
Before blaming the least disciplined manufacturer, the study first reveals a highly contested ranking. On the edge of the top 5, we find the American Tesla (20.5% of poorly parked models) and the German Volkswagen (20.4%). Just ahead of them, in third place, is the BMW brand with 21.7% of vehicles in violation. This middle of the table shows a first trend: imposing sedans and SUVs, often technological, in no way guarantee perfect parking, despite the profusion of driving aids and reversing cameras.
It is ultimately Mercedes-Benz which takes first place in this ranking, officially becoming the brand whose owners park the worst in Europe. According to data shared by the British media Daily Express, a quarter of the brand’s drivers (25%) were caught in the act of parking incorrectly. A clear score which confirms a certain indiscipline in parking spaces, but which should not overshadow the performance of another manufacturer, a generalist this time. Indeed, the German brand is closely followed by the French manufacturer Citroën, which creates a surprise by taking second position with an error rate of 24.4%. The study also notes that certain Citroën drivers were seen in Barcelona and Rome parked in reserved spaces without holding a valid badge.
Questioned by the British Express, Aleksandrs Buraks, head of growth at DiscoverCars.com, was keen to qualify these results: “It is interesting to note that Mercedes drivers were judged to be the worst at parking, which does not help the bad reputation that luxury car drivers can sometimes carry. However, while three of the five lowest ranked brands are premium manufacturers, the presence of Volkswagen and Citroën in the first places shows that parking errors are not reserved only for luxury brands.” A conclusion which reminds us that, regardless of the value of the vehicle, courtesy and precision remain above all a human matter.
