In a new study, one in five UK drivers have admitted to damaging another car and leaving the scene without making the owner aware of the incident, despite it being a criminal offence. The study looked at a number of different factors, including how many people accidentally scratched, damaged or dented cars, and how they subsequently reacted. 100 per cent of respondents to the survey had damaged at least one other car, but their reactions varied. Of all the drivers who took part in a 'dent and ran' over a third admitted that they didn't feel guilty for doing so, with a quarter of these drivers admitting that they'd caused what they considered to be a 'medium'æ - i.e. noticeable _ amount of damage. Men were more likely to knock a car and then leave, with 28 per cent of males (compared to just 16 per cent of females) confessing to having done so. People in the 18 to 24 age group were the least likely to own up, with over a third of this group having admitted to denting and running. Dermot Kelleher, the director of marketing and business intelligence, said: 'Doing damage to another car without owning up and exchanging insurance details is an important issue and people need to be aware that it is, in fact, a crime to do so. 'Accidents happen, especially in packed shopping centre car parks, but people should not be afraid to own up when they damage another person's car.î
