Mall Accidents Heaviest During Holiday Season
During the holiday season, shoppers and commuters have to face a marked increase in both the level of traffic and a much heavier concentration of vehicles in mall parking lots. While typically flooded with vehicles, during the holiday crush (think of Valentine’s Day coming up), they can become overflowing with cars searching for an empty parking space, or waiting patiently, or impatiently, for shoppers to return to their car and vacate a space.
According to auto insurance statistics culled from several providers, a considerable number of accidents that take place each year occur in parking lots. The majority of these incidents are particularly common during the holiday season, which is when parking lots are often filled to the brim. As consumers jockey for any parking space they can find, they often speed up in an attempt to get to a space before another car can claim it. Oily garage floors can exacerbate the problem, causing cars to skid to a halt rather than come to a precise stop. Suddenly, the cost of those presents just purchased can multiply based on the amount of damage and cost of repairs.
For example, based on recent statistics, the number of parking-related auto insurance claims on Black Friday (now considered the busiest shopping day of the year) doubled between 2010 and 2011. In addition, nearly 25 percent of the auto claims made the day after Thanksgiving all resulted from accidents that took place in parking lots during the same stretch of time. This is merely a case of too many cars being in one place, raising the potential for an accident, or even several, occurring in a short span of time. Insurance experts say that even if an accident only produces minor damage, it’s wise for vehicle owners to get in touch with their insurer, as incidents like these are important for their provider to know about.
And while most consumers are courteous and responsible drivers, there is the risk that someone in a hurry, or simply not paying attention, can accidentally come into contact with another vehicle, causing anywhere from minor to considerable damage.
Ways to help avoid accidents in crowded parking lots
In order to avoid parking lot accidents, motorists are advised to follow certain courteous acts:
- Do not speed up suddenly or quickly
- Be keenly aware of pedestrians that may be in crosswalks
- Use turn signals to indicate direction of travel
- Use hazard lights if remaining idle in one space
- Back out of parking spaces slowly and cautiously
