Take care out there: new car owners more likely to be pranged
It might not be the news you want to hear if you've been excitedly looking for new car deals – but a study has found 39 per cent of motorists unlucky enough to have been hit by another vehicle had owned their car for less than a year.
Vehicle protection technology provider AX analysed more than 68,000 prangs and bumps where the affected party was not at fault and found 11 per cent had owned their pride and joy for less than 90 days.
In fact, drivers were 50 per cent more likely to be involved in an incident in their second month of ownership than in their twelfth.
When it came to the worst locations for these new-car accidents, the unluckiest spot in the UK was found to be Walsall, followed by Preston, Stockport, Cambridge and Blackburn.
The top ten was rounded out by Brentwood, Lincoln, Harlow, Chelmsford and Manchester.
Strangely, the research couldn't find any rhyme or reason for new car owners to be on the wrong side of so many bumps – it couldn't even suggest it was down to motorists being unfamiliar with their new controls because the study involved innocent parties only.
Scott Hamilton-Cooper from AX said: "Damage to your car when it's not your fault is upsetting. When you've only owned that vehicle for weeks or months, it's painful, frustrating and much, much more."
Perhaps the odd discovery is down to so many people being impressed by a new set of wheels that they take their eyes off the road and unwittingly hit the object of their affection? Whichever way, you might want to take extra care if you happen to have bought a fresh motor lately.
The news comes after a recent poll of more than 2,000 drivers by Euro Car Parts found 32 per cent would drive off rather than admitting they had caused damage to another vehicle in a car park.