It is not too uncommon to get a few bumps when we are struggling to get out of the parking lot. Scratches, dings and nicks can easily be caused parking lots accidents, Accumulated superficial damages can be quite unsightly and reduce the overall values of our cars. Fortunately, this can be avoided and we can keep our car smooth by taking a few precautions. Parking lots are crowded and driving in it can be risky if we are not careful. If we drive a bit faster, it is possible that we get more than just a few scratches. People are often concerned about highway safety, but they could become too relaxed in parking lots.
It is reported that about a quarter of collision occurs in these parking areas. There are things that we need to consider to avoid collision in parking lots. It is obvious that we shouldn’t part too close to other cars. If there’s a tight spot, it may not be a good idea to fit our car in it. Other drivers may have difficulty getting their car out and we shouldn’t be too surprised to see a new ding on our car. It is also a bad idea to park near the shopping cart bin, because shoppers could throw carts in a hurry and they end up hitting our car with it. If it is windy, a stray cart could hit our car forcefully enough to cause a visible dent.
If we see these risky spots, it is a good idea to drive further to find safer areas. It is better to walk a little longer than having new visual imperfection on our car. In fact, it is safer to park as far out as possible. In these areas of the parking lot, there’s less congestion, lighter traffic and lower risks of collision. Instead of aiming to park near the main entrance, we should consider using the side entrances. There are usually multiple doors at the side of the building that we can enter. In this case, we can easily enter the building, while getting more accessible parking spaces.
When backing out, we should always look behind us. We often look left and right, but we may forget looking directly behind us. A shopper may rush by or a car could silently slip behind our car. It is a bad idea to get sandwiched between two large minivans, truck and SUV. These vehicles will need more room to back out and when we park our small car, it could be less visible. Many parking lots inside buildings are darker so it is a good idea to use our headlights even if it is midday. People will easily see our headlight on their peripheral vision and they will immediately turn their head to see.
We should be aware that during busy hours, many cars will circle around to look for premium spots near the main entrance. If we see these drivers, it is better to choose upper floors. There could be more spots that we can choose on upper floors. By thinking like other drivers and anticipating them, we can avoid senseless collision, while getting parking spots faster. In areas with very crowded parking lots with minimal possibility of getting an empty spot, we should consider taking public transportation. We could drive to the nearest bus stop and park our car there, if it can’t be reached by foot.
