For its new Honesty Barometer, AXA car insurance analysed more than 30,000 claims between 2010 and 2012 where a driver had hit a parked car and found a rise in the proportion of honest drivers coming forward after hitting a parked car rather than driving off without leaving details.

Claims where the driver came forward following a crash to provide information were separated from those where dishonest motorists drove off without leaving any contact details. Since 2010, the proportion of crashes where the third party was unknown (meaning that the driver whose vehicle hit a parked vehicle did not come forward) has fallen by 16%.

The results show that in more than 80% of cases, motorists who hit a parked vehicle made themselves known to the owner and provided their insurance details. This figure highlights the fact that an increasing number of motorists are willing to do the right thing.

According to the data, the average crash involving a parked car causes £762.89 worth of damage, although the insurer received claims as high as £16,500.  Examination of 2012 figures shows that motorists were most likely to hit a parked car on a Friday, with 1,477 incidents recorded on that day in 2012, compared to 1,046 on a Sunday

Amanda Edwards of AXA car insurance commented: ‘This data is remarkable. While we tend to hear horror stories of fraudsters causing deliberate accidents or faking injuries to receive a payout, the Honesty Barometer proves what we’ve always believed: that the vast majority of drivers are honest and trustworthy.

‘The data highlights that not only do eight out of ten of us do the right thing and come forward after hitting a parked car, but that this proportion is on the increase. It’s reassuring to see that despite facing rising costs, UK motorists are keeping their integrity.’