The lack of parking spaces continues to be a big problem in Bucharest, with most of the drivers in the Romanian capital being forced to just leave their cars wherever they find a free space, even on sidewalks.

Eight in ten drivers in Bucharest admitted to parking illegally at least once, often spending more time to look for a parking space than to reach the destination, according to a recent study carried out by Uber. Moreover, 62% of the drivers in the capital are confronted daily with the problem of finding a parking space in the center of the city, at work or in the area where they live.

The study, which was carried out on more than 2,700 people, also revealed that four in ten people have been involved at least once in a verbal or physical conflict over a parking space.

There are around 200,000 parking spaces for over 1 million cars in Bucharest, according to existing information, which means a parking space for five cars. According to the TomTom Index, Bucharest ranks fifth among the busiest cities in the world and is the most congested city in Europe.

Meanwhile, another study showed that most Romanian drivers admit to doing several other activities while driving, such as using the phone or texting. Six out of ten Romanian drivers speak on their mobile phones while driving, without using hands-free devices, and about 40% are sending text messages, reports local Agerpres.

The study was carried out online on some 8,000 respondents, through a platform dedicated to a national safety and traffic prevention campaign. According to its results, 18% of respondents have driven under the influence of alcohol at least once.

When it comes to the behavior of Romanian pedestrians, the results of the survey showed that 70% of them cross the street illegally, with 60% of them doing this occasionally and 7% daily. Moreover, more than 60% of pedestrians keep their eyes on the mobile phone while walking on the street (they write messages or play games), with most of them – 49% doing this occasionally and 12% very often.

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Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com