During the holiday shopping season, store parking lots can be a very chaotic place. Unfortunately, this chaos can create fertile grounds for car accidents.
At any time of year, parking lots have their accident risks. AAA estimates that, of all traffic accidents that lead to insurance claims, around 14 percent happen in parking lots. Thus, when out holiday shopping, it is worth keeping in mind what things you can do to reduce the likelihood of a parking lot accident occurring.
One is taking safety into account when picking where in a store lot to park. Parking away from other vehicles and the store entrances when the option is available can help with staying out of high-accident-risk situations in parking lots.
Another is being mindful of how one parks. One situation in which parking lot accident likelihood can be particularly high is when a driver is backing out of a parking spot. This is in part because their visibility as they are backing out can be quite limited, particularly if they have cars on both sides of them. Thus, it can be beneficial to avoid being in situations where you have to back out to exit a parking spot. One way to do this is to back into a parking spot when you are entering it, thus allowing you to later exit the spot by pulling forward.
When a person does end up having to back out of a parking spot, it is important for them to carefully scan the area for cars or pedestrians before backing up.
One hopes all holiday shoppers here in Michigan will make sure to act safely when driving and parking in store parking lots.
When a person is harmed in a Michigan parking lot accident, it is important for them to know what rights they have under state's legal system. Thus, promptly seeking out an experienced personal injury attorney's guidance can be worthwhile following being hurt in such a crash.
Source: Macomb Daily, "AAA urges drivers to look forward to parking lot safety," Frank DeFrank, Dec. 10, 2015