Pedestrians are often the safest in places where drivers expect to see them. Many traffic safety experts recommend that pedestrians cross roads at marked and illuminated locations. That way, drivers are on the lookout for pedestrians and are less likely to cause a crash.
Most people readily acknowledge that there are pedestrians present in parking lots. After all, people have to get from their vehicles to the businesses they intend to patronize and vice versa. Unfortunately, the prevalence of pedestrians in parking lots has not deterred drivers from adopting dangerous habits in recent years.
Distracted driving is common in parking lots
Vehicles in parking lots usually travel at relatively low speeds. Drivers have to look for pedestrians and yield to others as they approach different lanes of traffic within the parking lot. They need to watch for vehicles pulling out of parking spaces too.
Lower speeds and a limited number of moving vehicles might contribute to driver complacency in parking lots. Recent safety research has uncovered a disturbing trend. Specifically, more drivers admit to texting or even using social media in parking lots as opposed to while on actual roads.
In a location where drivers should survey their surroundings carefully to identify pedestrians and vehicles about to exit parking spaces, they instead allow themselves to focus on mobile devices. Even at the low speeds usually maintained in parking lots, pedestrian crashes can have devastating consequences.
People affected by pedestrian collisions may need help holding irresponsible drivers accountable. Filing insurance claims or even civil lawsuits can help people recoup their losses after a car-pedestrian incident in a parking lot.