As more and more restrictions open up, there will be more parking, and vehicles will likely park tighter. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), unfortunately it is common for auto damage to occur in these parking lots with tens of thousands of crashes happen in parking lots and garage structures every year. In these generally low speed crashes where this is an unfortunate event, tragically, hundreds are killed, and thousands are injured. We at Top Notch Body Shop & Mechanic would like to share tips on how you can avoid parking lot accidents that can be applied all year long to help you avoid tragic ends, costly repairs, and inconveniences.
Stay Away from Driving Distractions
Since quite a few devices require our attention, we have all been told to pull over to the side of the road before using our phones or programing the GPS. Your vehicle needs to actually be in park, this does not indicate that we can stop paying attention in the parking lot. According to a NSC public opinion, at least 50% of American drivers said they will text, use social media, email, or watch videos in a parking lot. From behind the wheel, focusing on driving and paying attention to your surroundings 100% of the time is the key to safety.
Follow Parking Lot Driving Rules
Because you are in a parking lot and everyone is moving slowly, your safety is not guaranteed, unfortunately. Since there are many more vehicles moving in different directions and pedestrians walking across the pavement, following the rules is critical.
– Drive carefully and slowly.
– The signs, arrows, and lines should be followed.
– Watch for drivers, particularly while reversing in and out of parking spaces.
– triple check your surroundings as you reverse.
– pay attention to pedestrians especially for children and people in wheelchairs.
As a Driver, Be Aware of Your Surroundings
The most important thing to remember in a parking lot is being aware of your surroundings in every direction. In the event you are relying on things like backup cameras or blind spot notifications, keep in mind that these systems are only as accurate as they are well maintained. Should you have hit a pothole recently, been in an accident, or simply have not washed your vehicle, your sensors could be misaligned, or your cameras could be covered in salt. Since it is your job to keep cameras clean, have the computer systems scanned at your local repair shop. Always look around your car instead of only at the narrow view of your reverse camera.
Auto Body Services in Dallas, Texas (Just Minutes Away from Addison, Balch Springs, Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Coppell, DeSoto, Duncanville, Farmers Branch, Ferris, Garland, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Irving, Lancaster, Lewisville, Mesquite, Ovilla, Richardson, Rowlett, Sachse, Seagoville, Sunnyvale & Wylie, TX)
Call in the professionals of Top Notch Body Shop & Mechanic and let our certified technicians make the repairs to restore your vehicle’s auto body in the event your vehicle sustained auto body damage. To ensure high-quality and long-lasting results, our technicians use state-of-the-art equipment and premium products. We can help you get your damage repaired and car looking amazing and running smoothly, so call us today for your estimate.