A majority of surveyed Australians admit they don't own up to hitting parked or unattended cars, a new study claims.
Around 57 per cent of the drivers said they had hit another car and not reported the incident to the owner through a note or other means, according to a survey from Money.com.au of over 1000 Australians.
Incidents like this are far from uncommon, with one in four drivers reporting they had been involved in an incident involving a minor bump or scratch.
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However, not reporting the incident before leaving the scene could potentially lead to penalties.
Finance expert Sean Callery warned even minor incidents can lead to a financial burden to the impacted driver, which is made more difficult when the person at fault does not leave their details.
"[It] can lead to expensive repairs and insurance complications for the vehicle owner," he said.
"Depending on the size of the dent or scratch left, it can be a hit to a car's resale value."
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The study found younger drivers are less likely to report such an incident, with 84 per cent saying they had left the scene of a minor collision unreported.
This figure is far higher than Gen X, 56 per cent, and baby boomers, 40 per cent.
"Accountability appears to decline sharply among younger drivers," Callery said.
He also claimed it went against Australian values to fail to report a minor collision.
"Australians pride themselves on doing the right thing, so quietly driving off after hitting someone's car, even if there's no damage immediately visible, doesn't sit well with that idea," he said.
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