Women are the best car parkers

UK company National Car Parks (NCP) put 2500 drivers to the test and found that women outperform men in the majority of the crucial factors that lead to the perfect park.

Marked on six criteria, women scored 13.4 points out of 20, while men trailed behind with a score of 12.3.

The girls got off to a good start, employing the slow and steady strategy. More than one third of men rushed in and missed potential car parks, while 92 per cent of women were gentle in their approach, allowing them to notice more spaces or spot when other parkers were about to leave.

Women prepared themselves better for parking too. Only 53 per cent of men positioned their car appropriately to enter a space, while more than three quarters of women were well prepared for the manoeuvre.

The study also found that women prefer to reverse in (39 per cent), while more men chose to drive straight into spots (72 per cent).

Reversing stereotypes: The results suggest the skirt (above) should be traded for a pair of pants.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the boys are faster finishers, completing the deed in an average of 16 seconds. The women took 21 seconds before they were satisfied with their effort. NCP says that over a lifetime (50 years) of driving, women will spend 12 days parking while men will spend just nine says.

Women are also much more likely to shuffle around while parking to find the perfect position (56 per cent), while the majority of men (71 per cent) are one-move wonders, preferring to drive straight in and jump straight out.

All that shuffling pays off too, as 53 per cent of women parked their cars in a central position in the bay, more than double the number of men (25 per cent) who found the sweet spot.

Despite the findings, less than one fifth of women believe they are better parkers than men, and only 28 per cent rate themselves better than their partner.

Senior driving instructor Neil Beeson said he was surprised by the results, as it was his belief that men performed better in driving lessons.

“It’s possible that women have retained the information better,” Beeson said.

“What the NCP Parking Report shows is that us men need to give our partners more respect when it comes to parking. The facts don’t lie.”