Our other 22.5 million cars are being left to the elements and dangers from passing cars and pedestrians, partly because we've filled our garages with other possessions. Even though 40% of households have access to a garage, fewer than half of this group use one to store their cars.
The study showed that 53% of cars are now left on driveways and 25% are parked on the street, with 3% being left elsewhere. The proportion of cars being parked in a garage has fallen by about a third in a decade.
Some of the main factors cited for the fall in garage use include the fact that garages are now being increasingly used to store possessions, while modern cars are often too big to fit in a garage. Drivers also consider the improved security and resistance to rust of modern vehicles allow them to be stored outdoors permanently, and also value the ease of starting off in the morning from a driveway. The rise and rise of multi-vehicle households also means that there is not enough parking space for every car, though it is unclear why this should mean unoccupied garages.
RAC Foundation director Professor Stephen Glaister said: 'Given that those people with garages are most likely to be car owners, that means there are a lot of garages not being used for what they were intended.
'Many of us seem to be using our garages to store the things we do not want in our houses or simply do not have room for. After Christmas there will be a rush to put unwanted presents out of sight and out of mind.
'In the old days that might have meant heaving them into the loft or shoving them under the stairs. Today it is more likely to mean dragging them out to the garage. Perhaps it is time to reconsider using the humble garage for what it was intended.'
UK Cars Left Out in the Cold
