British parents are spending a significant amount of time driving their children from place to place, new research from car insurance provider the AA has found.
As car insurance and petrol costs are on the increase, the 'free taxi' services are resulting in parents being left out of pocket by around £3,000 per year.
Just under one in five of parents polled said that they spent over an hour a day providing the service.
On average, the annual taxi trip for UK families was found to total 1,664 miles - enough for four round trips from London to Paris.
Director of AA Insurance Simon Douglas advised: "Most parents accept that 'Chauffeur' is part of their parental job description, along with 'Chef,' 'Cleaner,' 'Counsellor' and many more but our research proves they really go that extra mile to ensure their children can get around.
"With the car at the centre of family life it is essential that parents make sure they are properly protecting their most precious cargo."
In order for parents to measure the true costs of the 'free taxi' service, AA has also launched an online calculator, located at parentstaximeter.co.uk.
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