As a driver, the last thing you want to deal with is an accident. Getting into an accident, no matter how small or big the damage to your vehicle, can be a hassle to deal with. That is why you need to be a vigilant driver so you can avoid getting into an accident in the first place.
One of the places where you should be the most vigilant is in parking lots. Even though most vehicles don't go that fast in parking lots, parking lots are one of the most frequent locations for car accidents.
Here are a few strategies you can employ to help ensure that you don't get into a parking lot car accident.
#1 Always Look Before Backing Up
Before you back up in a parking lot, you need to really look around. First, look over your shoulder both ways for vehicles driving up and down the row that you are in. Second, check your mirrors and look for people walking near your vehicle. Third, check the row against, this time looking at the cars parked on either side of you and across from you to make sure that no one else is starting to back up. Repeat these steps as you slowly start to back up out of your lane. Stop and yield if someone is walking by or driving that you were not able to see.
#2 Be Careful About Pulling Ahead
If you were able to pull into the parking space in front of you, or you backed into the parking space, be careful when you pull out. Don't assume that you need to be any less vigilant because you are not backing out of a parking space. Look left and right for cars driving up the row and shoppers walking near you. Then double check for other vehicles pulling into or backing out of nearby parking spaces. Put on your turn signal and then pull out.
#3 Drive Slow
Do not drive fast through the parking lot because you don't think anyone is around. In the parking lot, you not only need to watch out for other cars, you also need to watch out for adult shoppers, children, and shopping carts. There are lots of moving parts in a parking lot, which is why it is always best to be on the safe side and take it slow. You can stop much quicker if someone starts backing up when you are rolling at 5 m.p.h. than if you are going 30 m.p.h.
The key to avoiding an accident in a parking lot is to take things slow, double check before you make a move, and use your turn signal so others know what you are doing, even if you feel like you are making an obvious move. If you get into an accident in a parking lot, reach out to your local car accident attorney who can help you navigate your case.
Share23 December 2018
After I was in a car accident, I wasn't sure what I was going to do in the future. I had some really significant back and neck pain, so I started talking with a lawyer about how to recover some of my losses. I began working with an attorney to take care of things, but I was nervous about how the process would unfold. I began working with the attorney to evaluate every component of the incident, and help me to decode the problems I was faced with. We worked on learning more about the lawsuit, and it helped me to make sense of the situation. Learn more about accidents on this blog.