Common Causes of Parking Lot Accidents
Parking lots are hotbeds for accidents. The people in and out of their cars, the shopping cart attendants, strollers and children jumping on curbs, and cars pulling in and out of spaces are happening sometimes all at the same time. According to statistics, one in five car accidents occurs in a parking lot. Out of all of the parking lot car accidents that are reported each year, 14% are from accidents that take place in a parking lot.
What Are The Most Common Causes Of Parking Lot Accidents?
Some of the most common reasons behind parking lot accidents include:
- Unintentional acceleration at inopportune times leading to unexpected crashes.
- Not following the proper flow of a parking lot and driving down isles in the wrong direction.
- Inebriated drivers driving erratically.
- Not obeying traffic signs like stop signs.
- Cars pulling out at the same time and smashing into each other.
- Shopping carts rolling away uncontrollably.
- Children darting out in parking lanes or opening up their doors without checking to see if another car is present.
- Speeding in parking lots.
There is no doubt there are many things happening at any time in a parking lot which is why it is so important to be extra cautious and alert to your surroundings. One of the things you can do to reduce your risk for an accident in the parking lot is to first understand that accidents in parking lots are very common.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that because of their smaller stature and tendency not to look around before they enter a road, 22% of children between 5 and 9 years of age will die in pedestrian collisions with vehicles. Backing up or pulling out of a parking space makes up a large portion of these fatal accidents. To keep yourself safe and to look out for others in parking lots try the following:
- Be aware of pedestrians around you while you are loading your vehicle so you can assess your environment and the moving parts.
- Most cars come with backup cameras now, so if your car has one, make use of it. Also if you don’t have a backup camera you can have one installed on your car so you have a better ability to see what is around the backside of your vehicle.
- Always take it slow when backing up or backing out so you have time to react if anything rapidly starts happening around you and so that others can be warned of your movement.
- Park in well-light areas when it is dark so you can increase your vehicle’s visibility.
- If you can park further away from other vehicles or next to an island or curb, you can better shield your vehicle.
Where Can You Find An Arizona Serious Injury Law Firm?
It is important to keep yourself focussed on your environment and avoid distractions as much as you can when you are driving to reduce your risk for accidents. However, there is no way to completely prevent all accidents so if you are hit by a reckless or distracted driver and injured, the Arizona automobile accident injury attorneys at ELG will provide you with the effective legal representation you need to obtain compensation for your damages. At ELG, our Phoenix serious injury attorneys are focused completely on personal injury cases. We put in the time and attention necessary to be successful with personal injury claims for every client we represent.
A consultation only takes a small bit of time but it is very important to begin the personal injury claim process. The sooner you meet with us the sooner we can get to work on your claim, and we will never collect payment for our services unless we win your case. Schedule your free consultation today with one of our bilingual Spanish-speaking Phoenix personal injury attorneys at ELG today at (623) 877-3600.
