Holiday Parking Lot Safety
When most people think about driving safely, they think about high-speed freeways during rush hour. They seldom think about parking lot safety. However, a surprising percentage of auto-pedestrian accidents and “fender benders” happen in parking lots. The following tips can help you stay safe whenever you are walking or driving in a parking lot.
Holiday Parking Lot Safety – Slow Down
If you’re driving, don’t speed. The second or two that you might save is not worth the risk that you could strike a pedestrian or collide with another car. When going to or from your car, don’t run; drivers need time to see you and react to your presence.
Expect the Unexpected
You never know when someone might back out of a parking space without looking, ignore a stop sign or step in front of your car. Be prepared to react by watching for cars with their back-up lights engaged, drivers who are preoccupied with their cell phones and pedestrians walking with young children. Other signals that someone might behave unexpectedly include pedestrians carrying large objects that obscure their vision, drivers who are having difficulty parking in a tight space and pedestrians who appear upset, angry or intoxicated.
Stay Away from Closed Areas
There may be areas of the parking lot that are closed to pedestrians and vehicles. Some parking lots restrict access to loading docks, for example, or a work crew may have put up barricades to make repairs. If there are signs, cones or barriers, don’t walk or drive into the closed area.
Be Considerate
If you park too close to another vehicle, the driver may have trouble getting into his car; both cars could suffer “door dings” or scrapes as a result. Park within the lines defining your space; never straddle a line as this effectively takes two spaces. If you see someone waiting to pull into a parking space, don’t try to take it away from them.
If It’s Your Parking Lot
If you manage or own the property, make sure that your parking lot is properly maintained. Have sealcoating, cracks repaired, and asphalt patching to prevent pedestrians from tripping. And new striping applied whenever lines and markings become faded; fresh pavement paint helps eliminate confusion.
Enjoy Your Holidays!
At Affordable Striping & Sealing, we just want to remind you that parking lots tend to be extremely busy during the holiday season, so we urge you to take parking lot safety even more seriously at this time of the year. We also want to express our appreciation for the many loyal customers we have had the privilege to serve during 2016, and we look forward to seeing you next year. We can help you with all of the services you need to maintain your parking lot, including sealcoating, parking lot striping, signage and crack repairs. And remember, holiday parking lot safety is important! If you need quality work at affordable prices, submit the online form to receive a free quote or call us at (702) 222-9009.
