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Parking Lot Dangers

It is that time of year when our customers and NTB become extremely busy. A major portion of our business involves delivering to retail stores such as Meijer.

Parking lot accidents, either with fixed objects or other vehicles are the most common/frequent vehicle collisions. Whether you are making a delivery, a pick up, stopping for lunch or a break at a shopping center, shipper location, or truck stop, you may encounter dangerous conditions while driving into, out of and through parking lots. When drivers are in a hurry or distracted they may stop looking for cross traffic and/or assume others will automatically stop when they see them coming.

Some of the most common parking lot hazards include:

• Pedestrians (especially children) may be difficult to see while backing and may run out into traffic unexpectedly
• Poor lighting may inhibit a person’s ability to see at night
• Tight spaces may limit your ability to back and turn around corners
• Potholes and debris or objects (such as shopping carts may cause other drivers to swerve or stop suddenly.
• “Evil Yellow Poles”
• Faded parking lines and lack of signage may inhibit proper traffic flow.
• Overgrown shrubbery may obscure sight lines (especially at night) at intersections where pedestrians or other vehicles may appear suddenly.

Safety tips while driving through parking lots:

• Always Wear your seatbelt – Even low speed collisions can throw you around the cab of your vehicle
• Obey parking lot signage and traffic lanes – Watch out for vehicles cutting diagonally through the lot.
• Drive slowly – Always obey the posted speed limit at stay under 10mph if one is not posted.
• Use your flashers, turn signals and headlights – Make sure your vehicle can been seen.
• Watch for distracted drivers – Watch out for drivers that are on the “hunt” for an ideal parking spot. They are not watching you.
• Watch carefully for pedestrians – Be especially careful in lots that contain Meijer, other retail stores, truck stops, and other locations where people may be in a hurry.
• Be extra careful during peak times (morning, lunch time, evening) when reckless drivers may speed through lanes.
• Be extra careful at entrances, exits and intersections. Drivers may stop suddenly or erratically change direction for no apparent reason.
• Be conscious of where you park. Look at all objects around the vehicle that may become a difficult obstruction when you leave.
• Only park in designated areas for your type of vehicle. Ensure your vehicle fits safely into a parking spot and is in between the parking lines. Get out and look!
• Be conscious of the people/other vehicles you park next to – Are you too close? Get out and look!
• Double check to ensure you headlights are off and your keys are in hand before leaving your vehicle.
• At night, park in well-lit spots and avoid secluded areas to reduce the risk of theft, robbery, or accidents.