Many wrecks involve parked cars

The crashes tend to happen in parking lots, in parallel parking zones and outside bars or restaurants, where high traffic density combines with limited visibility after dark, according to the study.

In Cary, the rate was almost 80 percent; in Durham, 65 percent of hit-and-runs involved a parked car.

Most states, including North Carolina, require a driver responsible for an accident with an unattended vehicle to notify the owner by leaving a note.

Drivers can avoid being the victim of a parked hit-and-run by choosing to park in a well-lit area, parking in spaces with plenty of room on either side and avoiding parking near shopping carts.