Tens of thousands of parking lot accidents occur every year, according to the National Safety Council (NSC), causing hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.
It defies common sense, but parking lot drivers too often do not seem to be paying attention to their surroundings. The risk of injury-causing car accidents increases during the holidays when parking lots are packed with harried shoppers.
An NSC poll of parking lot drivers found that:
- 66% engage in phone calls.
- 63% plot directions in a GPS.
- 56% read and send texts.
- 52% participate in social media.
- 50% send and read emails.
- 49% take photographs or watch videos.
Parking Lot Safety Tips
Motorists need to be attentive at all times and watch for other drivers and pedestrians, especially in parking lots.
Drivers should:
- Remain in marked lanes, just as you would on a public road. Never take shortcuts through a parking lot or cut across parking spaces.
- Obey all signs.
- Use your turn signals to alert traffic and pedestrians to your movements.
- Always make direct eye contact with a pedestrian and give people on foot the right of way. Never assume they can see you.
- Be aware of the dangers of backing out of a parking space. Be extra aware of small children and adults with baby strollers.
- Know how to use your vehicle’s safety technology, but don’t become over-reliant on devices such as backup cameras or sensors that may not recognize motorcycles, small objects or people. In addition, practice old-fashioned safety procedures such as checking your mirrors and looking over your shoulders to check your blind spots.
- Watch out for common parking lot hazards, such as poor striping, potholes, cracks, debris puddles and snow.
- Drive and park in well-lit areas.
Talk to an Attorney if You’ve Been Injured
Dealing with the aftermath of a parking lot accident can be overwhelming. Medical bills, lost wages from missed time at work, and other accident-related expenses can begin to pile up and cause a lot of stress.
The insurance company, which has a financial interest in paying you as little money as possible, might be pressuring you into accepting a quick, lowball settlement. Worse yet, they may question what role you played in the accident and offer you nothing at all.
You don’t need to overcome these obstacles on your own. If you’re in the Seattle or Tacoma area and have been injured in a parking lot accident, our law firm can help you move forward by fighting for the compensation you need and deserve. We reject insurance company attempts to pay our clients less than what they deserve, and if the insurance company refuses to cooperate, we aren’t afraid to take the fight to court.
Learn how an experienced Seattle car accident attorney can help with your potential legal case. Contact us today for a free consultation.