Drivers waste billions searching for parking

Drivers in the UK, US and Germany spend billions searching and paying for parking spaces and paying for more time than they need to avoid a penalty charge, according to a new study by Inrix.
July 13, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Drivers in the UK, US and Germany spend billions searching and paying for parking spaces and paying for more time than they need to avoid a penalty charge, according to a new study by 163 Inrix.

The study was based on data from the Inrix Parking database of and survey responses from nearly 18,000 drivers in the US, UK and Germany.

The study found that UK drivers spend an average of 44 hours a year searching for parking, at a cost of £733 (US$948) each in wasted time, fuel and emissions. They overpay for parking to the tune of an estimated £6.7 billion (US$8.6 billion) a year or £209 (US$270) per driver; UK drivers also pay £1.2 billion (US$1.5 billion) annually in parking fines.

Americans spend an average of 17 hours per year searching for parking, resulting in a cost of US$345 per driver in wasted time, fuel and emissions, says the survey. Over-paying for parking costs American drivers more than US$20 billion a year, or US$97 per driver.

In Germany, motorists pay 98 Euros (US$112) more than needed for their parking, to avoid an average 8 Euros m (US$9) in parking fines. Germans waste an average 896 Euros (US$1,000) a year hunting for places, the study found.

Dr Graham Cookson, chief economist, Inrix, says, “To lessen the significant burden parking pain has on our economy and lives, smart parking solutions are available for drivers, parking operators and cities to help reduce search times, congestion and pollution as well as negate overpaying and fines altogether. Still, more needs to be done to drive adoption. Parking pain will only get worse until technology is fully embraced.”

Parking & Access Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Is the smartphone a driver's best friend?
    May 27, 2014
    The smartphone is a driver’s best friend – or so it seems: apps help them navigate, avoid congestion, identify a parking space, locate an EV charge point, find the area’s cheapest fuel, check the weather, pay tolls … the list goes on. While some have voice actuation, the whole issue of driver-related apps still concerns me. The World Health Organisation / National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSA) report Mobile Phone Use: A Growing Problem of Driver Distraction says: ‘…studies suggest that driver
    Read More
  • Kapsch TrafficCom: 'The city is not made for cars'
    October 22, 2018
    Traffic can be a really big challenge. When you’re stuck, you’re stuck. Everything comes to a standstill. But Alexander Lewald describes how existing infrastructures can be used more efficiently and how demand can be managed. A few figures to start with: in Los Angeles, the average driver spends 102 hours a year in traffic – that’s more than four days. This figure is 91 hours in Moscow and New York, 74 in London, 69 in Paris, 51 hours in Munich and still 40 hours in Vienna. Traffic is what causes
    Read More
  • Parking provision dictates commuters’ modal choice
    March 16, 2016
    Researchers from two American Universities have found the provision of parking spaces can encourage automobile use and increase traffic congestion. It is well understood that increased automobile use is linked to congestion, environmental degradation and negative health and safety impacts. Trials of smart parking technology has shown a reduction in circulating traffic (looking for parking) can ease congestion and that the cost of parking can influence commuters’ modal choice. Now, researchers at the univers
    Read More
  • St Louis red light cameras changing driver behaviour
    November 5, 2012
    According to a new analysis of the City of St. Louis' violator-funded red-light safety camera program carried out by safety camera supplier American Traffic Systems (ATS), drivers are adopting safer driving habits by stopping at red lights. As drivers comply with the law, the risk of dangerous red-light running collisions is reduced, and streets become safer for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. The study reviewed nearly 350,000 red-light running violations issued in the city from the time the program bega
    Read More

Highlighted Content