A new survey highlights how the combination of new car parking technologies, diverse parking signs and new parking policies are leaving the British public puzzled over where to park, how to park and how much to pay. The confusion is underlined by the fact that a quarter of all motorists (25 per cent) say that they have been issued a penalty parking fine in the last year, with a massive 69 per cent of these claiming that they felt they were unfairly penalised.Research by esure car insurance suggests that over 20 million motorists (ie 74 per cent of all drivers questioned) fail to recognise all The Highway Code rules for parking, with 93 per cent of drivers admitting that they feel confused about parking regulations.The rise of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE), where local authorities assume the responsibility for enforcing many parking regulations instead of the police, is perhaps adding to the bewilderment of drivers. Almost a third (29 per cent) of those asked said that parking policies in their local area change frequently, and 58 per cent say that when policies change in their local area it makes them feel confused. Over half (53 per cent) of those polled claimed that they had encountered parking signs which contradicted each other in the same vicinity, making it impossible for them to understand the intentions of local enforcers. However, nearly three quarters (73 per cent), complained about the lack of signs in some locations forcing them to search for some time before confirming whether they can park in an authorised spot.A shocking 60 per cent of motorists polled said they think that some parking signs are deliberately misleading so that drivers can be caught and fined. Given the relatively low proportion of people who attend hospitals as patients or visitors, it is worrying that one in ten of those questioned (10 per cent) claim that they have been issued with a parking penalty while their car was in a hospital car park: 78 per cent hope that England will follow Scotland and Wales by banning these unpopular fines.However, despite the high level of motorists receiving parking ‘tickets’, less than half (48 per cent) have contested a fine when they believe it was unfairly issued. A third of motorists (33 per cent) asked said they felt they had no chance of winning even if they thought they were right. A further 18 per cent said it was more convenient to just pay the parking fine rather than contest it. Only 21 per cent have ever received a refund for a fine they believe was incorrectly issued.When asked to identify a selection of parking signs, the motorists questioned could only correctly recognise a third of the signs, on average. A staggering 95 per cent of motorists asked were unable to identify the correct meaning of a ‘brown badge holder’ sign, while 82 per cent were unsure what double white lines mean with regards to parking.Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure car insurance, said: “As more and more local councils take on Decriminalised Parking Enforcement, it is important to check with your local authority for any signs specific to your area that you don’t understand. “Although parking violations won’t affect your insurance premium, they can significantly affect the overall cost of running a car, so do your best to avoid them. And of course, if you don’t think a parking penalty was fair then take the time to contest it. Refer to the terms of the Road Traffic Act but above all, keep a copy of the Highway Code in your glove box as a reference – to avoid parking in the wrong place all together.”Regional DivideIt is perhaps no surprise that Londoners are subject to the worst parking penalties, incurring an average of ￡78 per motorist per year. Londoners have also received the most fines in the past year, with 58 per cent admitting they have received a parking ticket this year. Welsh motorists follow closely behind – 56 per cent have received a parking ticket in the past twelve years.A staggering 85 per cent of drivers in the North East confess to feeling confused about parking rules and regulations.Gender DivideWhen it comes to parking, men are the most risky – 22 per cent admit that if they were unsure about a parking sign meant they would park there anyway, whereas only 14 per cent of female motorists would do so.Almost three quarters (73 per cent) of male motorists say that they have felt unfairly penalised when given a parking ticket compared to 63 per cent of female drivers.