22 per cent of motorists do not believe breaking parking regulations is a crime, according to new research.
This relaxed attitude could explain why 14 per cent of drivers in the UK have paid up to £100 in parking fines over the last year.
Get a FREE quote on your next
Click below and save up to 30% on a new
Get a FREE quote on your new car
Click below and save up to 30% on a new car
Although a new 'hologram secure' blue badge scheme was introduced in January 2012 to help counter parking fraudsters from parking on double yellows and in disabled spaces, it seems motorists are still beating the system - or at least trying to.
The poll of 1,006 adults found that some of the common excuses for illegal parking included claims of personal emergencies and only being parked illegally for a short period of time.
Jacky Brown of insurance company Sheila's Wheels said that illegal parking has become a game of cat and mouse between motorists and parking wardens.
Motorists who frequently park in customer-only parking spaces or those who use their children as look outs for nearby traffic wardens are among serial offenders.
25 per cent of drivers also said that they ignore parking regulations at weekends or on bank holidays.
Out of the 10 per cent of people caught parking illegally last year, eight per cent of them appealed successfully against parking tickets, which may suggest why drivers are continuing to park illegally.
Other explanations for repeat offences may be that nearly two out of five drivers think parking regulations are confusing, with this being the most popular excuse for parking illegally.