With the holidays upon us and the frenzy of Black Friday, ICBC is warning drivers about a trend in the number of mall parking lot crashes peaking during the month of December.
According to recent news release issued on Tuesday, roughly 150,000 crashes happened in mall parking lots last year, resulting in 5,400 injuries.
“While most parking lot crashes happen at low speeds and only result in vehicle damage, dealing with the aftermath of a crash is the quickest way to turn anyone into a Grinch,” reads the report from the insurance company.
In 2017, an average of 200 crashes occurred per mall parking lot throughout the year.
According to ICBC, most of these crashes occured in December, especially between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
“Although some mistakenly believe that driving in parking lots is ‘safer’ due to lower travel speeds, drivers need to continue practicing their safe driving habits…” says the crown corporation.
“Parking lots present drivers with unique challenges such as increased congestion and heavy pedestrian activity. The holiday season could add a layer of distraction with people more apt to be preoccupied with their shopping list or finding a parking spot.”
To help avoid an accident, ICBC recommends the following driving tips:
- The rules of the road still apply: ICBC encourages drivers to remember that the law still applies, even in mall parking lots. Only use the appropriate lanes, avoid cutting diagonally through a lot, and put down the phone while driving.
- Have your car facing out in your parking spot: Reversing into a spot can sometimes be intimidating, but this position is safest for drivers because it helps avoid the risk of reversing into a lane with potential blind spots when leaving.
- Park further away, if you can: Instead of circling endlessly to get a spot that’s closest to the mall, try to pick a spot that’s further away. This can help you avoid high-traffic areas where you’re more likely to crash into another vehicle or hit a pedestrian.
- Slow down and be on alert: Drivers should move slowly in parking lots to have enough time to react to unexpected vehicles backing out of their parking spots or an unanticipated pedestrian, especially young children.
- Pay attention to the arrows and stop signs: Many parking lots are quite narrow, restricting certain lanes to a single direction. Pay attention to the signs and markings on the road to avoid making a mistake.
- Don’t block traffic: Deciding to follow a shopper, then waiting for them to load their car, buckle up and leave, jams up traffic behind you. Sitting idle in a lane can leave you vulnerable to collisions, and you could be blocking other drivers who are trying to leave.
- Let it go: This isn’t the Wild West or a game of Red Dead Redemption – there’s no need to have a showdown with another driver for a parking spot. Move along, and maybe that good karma will find its way back to you this holiday season.
