One in six drivers will deliberately let their car hit another vehicle when trying to parallel park, a new study has found.

Rather than using mirrors and skill to judge the gap between other cars, drivers will simply hit an adjacent vehicle, in a practice known as ‘bump parking’.

The research, which was conducted by car insurance providers Churchill, revealed that drivers in London were most likely to practice bump parking, with 26 per cent of drivers surveyed holding their hands up.

The study also concluded that younger drivers (aged 18-34) are most likely to risk damage to surrounding cars by bump parking.

The survey highlighted other inconsiderate parking practices, with five per cent of respondents admitting to parking in disabled bays, while 6 per cent would deliberately take up two parking spots.

It also highlighted a worrying lack of confidence motorists have in their own parking abilities. A staggering 17 per cent of drivers would not attempt to park if there was another driver watching them, while one in ten won’t use a multi-story car park. Shockingly, eight per cent of drivers refuse to attempt to park a car after dark.

The cost of bad parking costs an estimated £1billion annually, with the average cost of repair for each incident around £328.

Steve Barrett, head of Churchill Car Insurance, said, “Motorists seem to be struggling with parking their cars.

“So-called ‘bump parking’ might seem easier at the time, but if it results in some damage to their car, motorists could end up counting the cost later.”