Christmas shopping chaos – 1 in 5 drivers have forgotten where they parked their car

• Drivers aged 18 – 34 are twice as likely to forget where they parked their vehicles over Christmas  
• Shopping centres and multi-story car parks are the most common locations people lose their vehicles 
• It takes owners on average 13 minutes to find their lost car, with drivers spending around 3.5 days in their lives locating their cars 

With Christmas shopping in full swing, Churchill motor insurance warns Brits to keep track of where they park, with research¹ from the insurer revealing that 4.3 million (21%) drivers have ‘misplaced’ their vehicles during the festive period². 

Drivers aged 18 – 34 appear to be  the most forgetful, losing their vehicles almost twice as often as those aged 35 – 54 (42% v 22%) during this time. 

Misplacing vehicles is common all year round, with drivers doing so on average six times in the last year. Shopping centre car parks (32%), multi-story car parks (30%) and supermarkets (24%) are common places where people lose their vehicles, alongside airports (13%) and train stations (6%). A further 1.4 million drivers (6%) are unfortunate enough to lose their parked vehicle at or near their own homes. 

Typically, it takes people an average of 13 minutes to locate their lost vehicle, meaning that forgetful Brits who misplace them can spend almost three and a half days³ of their lives searching for their wandering wheels. 

While some savvy drivers check their phone’s location history (13%) or use their vehicle’s app to sound the horn or flash the lights (10%) when on the hunt, 13.3 million drivers (60%) are faced with walking around methodically or retracing their steps until they find their vehicle. 1.4 million (6%) have also had to ask security to look at video footage of them parking, and a further 6% have enlisted help from a kind stranger.

Unsurprisingly, vehicles are most often lost when drivers are in a rush (38%), in an unfamiliar place (38%) or distracted (33%). Stress (28%) and busy streets (19%) are also common reasons. 

Top ways drivers remember where they park 

Source: Churchill motor insurance 

Nicholas Mantel, Head of Churchill Motor Insurance, said: “Our research shows that people frequently forget where they park when they are in a rush, feeling stressed or navigating busy streets. With so many cars in shades of grey, black and white dominating the UK market⁴, finding your lost car can sometimes feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. To avoid an extra festive headache, take a moment to make a note of where you have parked, whether it is dropping a pin in your maps app or sending yourself a message with details of your location. A few simple steps can make all the difference in reducing parking-related stress this holiday season.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. Research conducted by Opinium, amongst a representative sample of 2,000 UK adults, data collected between 14.11.2025 – 18.11.2025   

2. Vehicles include car, motorbike or van

3. Assuming the average adult drives for 60 years between the ages of 17 and 77. The average adult loses their car 6.3 times a year, equating to 378 times in a lifetime. Consumer omnibus research estimated that people spend 13.2 minutes searching for lost cars. This amounts to a total of 4,990 minutes – or 83 hours – equal to three and a half days

For further information, please contact:

Unni Henry

PR Manager 

Email: unni.henry@directlinegroup.co.uk

Churchill 

Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering car, home and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line and is part of the Aviva Group. 

Customers can find out more about Churchill products or get a quote by calling 0300 200 300 or visiting www.churchill.com