Research shows drivers are having trouble getting in and out of their cars as vehicles get wider but parking spaces don’t.
Most spaces in car parks still follow 1970s guidelines, but analysis of 10 popular family cars shows they have grown in size.
Churchill Motor Insurance says their average width has increased from 168cm to 180cm.
The British Parking Association recommends using a 240cm wide space – theoretically leaving only 30cm (1ft) on each side.
This can be especially tricky if the car next door is not in the center of its own space.
For example, the Ford Fiesta was 155cm long when it was first launched in 1976, but has now grown to 174cm wide.
The length of the Vauxhall Corsa, another British favorite, has grown from 24cm to 177cm.
Even more modern vehicles, such as the Nissan Qashqai released in 2007, have grown in length from 178 to 184 centimeters.
Churchill estimates that British drivers lose £424m a year due to difficulty parking, hitting a wall, another car or a bollard.
The Corsa is one of the cars that has been widened over the years. Image: iStock
Two-fifths of the 2,000 people surveyed said they had trouble getting in and out of their car when parking at least once a month.
Surveys show that about 22% of people have even been forced to crawl out of their boots at least once.
A third (32%) say they own a larger car than they did five years ago.
Common reasons are wanting more comfort, needing space for work or leisure gear, or simply because they like the design of a larger vehicle.
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Churchill boss Nicholas Mantel said: “Wider cars combined with parking bays that have not been redesigned to accommodate today’s models mean motorists across the country are at risk of damaging their cars which is not Their own fault.”
The RAC says a common reason cars are getting wider is the introduction of side impact protection technology.
Simon Williams, director of policy at the RAC, said: “Operators are faced with having to repaint spaces to accommodate these large vehicles, which is particularly difficult in some older multi-storey car parks where space is already limited.”
“Unfortunately, this will result in an overall reduction in the total number of spaces available and inevitably increased fees to make up for the lost revenue.”
Mr Williams said the issue of tight spaces was particularly frustrating for wheelchair users or people with limited mobility.
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