Can I be penalized for parking too close to another vehicle?

JOINING with a vehicle parked too close to your seat can be an extremely uncomfortable situation.

But can you be fined for parking too close to another vehicle?

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Can I be penalized for parking too close to another vehicle?

The Highway Code states that anyone parking on the street must park facing the direction of the roadway, not against the flow of traffic.

But there is no minimum required distance between parked cars.

However, it is expected that drivers will provide other motorists with the courtesy of having enough space to move out safely.

The advice given is usually along the ‘tire and runway’ line – which means you should be able to see the tires and the road below the car parked in front of you.

Sometimes, there are a lot of people parking on a small stretch of road so the parking space will be tight, which is why there is a ‘normal’ requirement as opposed to the law.

In case of a real emergency, you can contact the police and report the vehicle being impeded if you cannot cross the road.

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t park too close to a vehicle with a Green Badge symbol for accessibility reasons.

Make sure you squeeze the handbrake before leaving the car and turn off the engine so as not to cause any accidental collisions while you are driving.

What should I do if someone hits my parked car?

Coming home from an errand to find out someone hit your parked car is one of the worst feelings.

Government advice says that if you are in an accident that ’causes damage or injury’ you must give your name, address and vehicle registration number to anyone who has ‘reasonable reason to claim them’, for example your insurance provider.

If the driver leaves a note or gets stuck you need to exchange insurance details, they may even offer to pay for the damage on the spot.

Take some pictures of the damage for the record before contacting your insurance company.

Make sure you report the accident to the insurance company even if you are not planning to make a claim.

If you do not own the vehicle, you will need to provide the name and address of the owner.

You should report the accident to the police within 24 hours if you did not provide your details at the time of the incident.

Your insurance company will also be able to give advice more specific to your situation.

What should I do if I crash into someone’s parked car?

Drivers involved in an accident should wait around to contact the driver of the vehicle you hit.

If you can’t wait around, you should leave a note with your contact details.

Failure to do so could result in an accident classified as a hit and run – which is against the law.