Car accidents happen everywhere, not just on the roads or highways but even in parking lots and garages.

Have you ever found yourself in a parking lot with tightly packed spaces, making it a challenge to park your vehicle? Unfortunately, parking lot accidents are a common occurrence and can happen to the most confident drivers. These accidents can range from minor fender benders to more serious collisions, and they can happen in both public and private parking lots. Whether you find yourself in a parking lot incident or want to prepare on the side of caution, below are ways to avoid collisions.

How to Avoid Parking Lot Accidents

1. Pedestrians always have the right of way when exiting or entering parking lots and garages, unless a sign tells them to stop and look before proceeding.
2. According to Way, when leaving a parking space in a lot or garage, you should always yield the right of way to cars moving down the feeder lanes. Vehicles in these feed lanes should yield to cars in the main lane that aren’t exiting a parking space.
3. Drivers should always watch for signs and specific parking lot instructions to maximize their safety and avoid accidents.

Common Causes of Parking Lot Accidents

1. Reversing

According to AICA, “One of the most obvious causes of a parking lot accident occurs when your car is in reverse.” When attempting to back out of a spot in a confined space like a parking lot or garage, you might not see a car or pedestrian coming up behind you.

New technology and safety features in vehicles, like backup cameras, help you monitor your surroundings more clearly. And even though backup cameras give drivers the ability to see behind their car, drivers should still take the necessary steps to look around while reversing to avoid obstacles outside of their camera’s vantage point. A backup camera is not a substitute for checking your surroundings.

2. Distracted and Careless Driving

Driving carelessly and not paying attention to your surroundings is common in car accidents. Distracted driving looks like this:

• Being on your cell phone.
• Focusing on your passengers rather than the road.
• Messing with the radio all while driving.

When navigating in a parking lot, drivers should always note where pedestrians are and if any cars are coming from the opposite direction. Also, stay aware of your maneuvers when navigating tight parking lots or garages because you will be closer to parked vehicles and other moving cars.

Distracted driving can happen in less than five seconds, but the consequences can be significant. Having a passenger take your calls or give you directions is one way to stay off your cell phone and help with paying close attention to the road.

3. Speeding

Exceeding the speed limit while driving in a parking lot can increase your risk of getting involved in an accident. You may think, “I know my way around this parking lot or garage,” but sometimes our blind spots get the best of us. Speeding makes it difficult for you to stop or react in time, and if another car or pedestrian does not see you coming, these circumstances could result in a collision. Stay vigilant for cars signaling in reverse and pedestrians walking, as well as slowing down when you turn corners.

Accidents happen but are easy to avoid if you remain attentive to signs and your overall surroundings. Drive cautiously, watch out for pedestrians and vehicles, use turn signals, and refrain from distractions while driving in a parking lot or garage.

At Carrillo Injury Law, we give you access to the knowledge and experience to get compensated for any injuries in any type of car accidents as a driver or a passenger. Call us at 352-371-4000 or email carrillolawoffice@gmail.com for a no-charge, no-commitment consultation.

Sources

https://aica.com/what-to-know-about-parking-lot-accidents/

https://www.way.com/blog/who-has-the-right-of-way-in-a-parking-lot/

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/eleven-safety-features-systems-prevent-collisions/