11 Alive News is reporting about a fatal accident that occurred at a Six Flags over Georgia parking lot. The incident resulted in the death of a two-year old child. Cobb County Police Department were called to the scene on March 6th after the child was hit by a vehicle.
As of this post, the collision remained under investigation with no charges being filed at this time. We would like to offer our condolences to the family of the child. Serious and fatal accidents are tragedies and we write about this incident for the purpose of drawing attention the dangers of parking lots.
Parking Lot Accident Statistics
The National Safety Council’s (NSC) website reports that 66% of American drivers admitted that they make phone calls while driving through parking lots. The poll also offers other statistics that should bring concern about the dangers of walking and driving through a parking lot.
63% of the same poll respondents admitted that they program their GPS / driving directions while driving through parking lots.
56% of these drivers admit that they would text while navigating through a parking lot in their vehicle.
52% also indicated that they would use social media while driving in a parking lot.
50% are ok with sending or receiving emails while driving in a parking lot.
49% will take photos or watch videos behind the wheel in a parking lot.
Additionally, the same poll found that teens were more likely to look in the mirrors to do their makeup or hair (personal grooming) in a parking lots while driving as opposed to adults. However, adults were more likely to use their cell phones while driving in parking lots than teens. The article also points out that parking lots more be more busy during the holidays and therefore potentially more dangerous.
Parking Lot Safety Tips
If you are driving in a parking lot, put away your cell phone. Distracted driving may not only be unlawful but it may also be very dangerous. The temptation to get on a phone and make calls or browse the web may seem harmless in a slow-paced parking lot, but it is absolutely a best practice to drive with your focus on the road / parking lot, taking no risks for the safety of other drivers, pedestrians and yourself and your own passengers.
If you are walking in a parking lot, stay focused on your journey. Cars tend to dart in and out of parking spaces and if you are not paying attention you may not have an opportunity to get out of the way of a distracted driver. Additionally, don’t walk around the parking lot with your earbuds turned up high. If your volume is too loud, you may not hear a car’s horn or a car or person approaching you from behind. Walking distracted in a parking lot is not safe!
If you are driving in a parking lot, use the lanes. Driving through empty parking spaces is a bad idea. A significant amount of parking lot accidents happen because people take short cuts through empty rows of parking spots. There are lanes in a parking lot for the purpose of having a plan for people to safely navigate through the parking lot. Also, be on the lookout for other drivers that may use this unsafe way to drive in the parking lot.
If you are backing out or pulling out of your parking space, make sure that you use your mirrors and check your blind spots. Other cars may have parked by your vehicle in the time you got in and started your vehicle. Pedestrians may assume that you know that they are there. Even if they assume, it is always best to check your mirrors and blind spot for other pedestrians and vehicles that you may not have previously known to be there.
If you can pull through the space in front of you to exit, it is better than backing out. The blind spots are going to be to your sides and rear, so having a chance to move forward where you can see a clear path, is a good idea. If you are going to pull through make sure that there is not a vehicle that is getting ready to pull into the spot that you are planning to exit through.
Accident or Injury? We are here to help.
Parking lots are very busy and dangerous places. For a multitude of reasons we may let our guards down. both as drivers and pedestrians. Parking lots are common places for fender benders and serious accidents, typically with pedestrians. If you are going to be shopping or spending any time driving or walking in a parking lot, please consider some of the information above. Being mindful of the dangers of parking lots are a good way to start be safer whenever you have to drive or walk in one.
We hope that this information can be helpful to someone with the hopes of making our roads safer. This includes anywhere cars are driven and pedestrians are walking. If we can ever assist anyone with a question about any motor vehicle related accident or injury, please know we are here to be a resource for you. Again, the tragic news of this accident is heartbreaking. We hope people will take notice to be mindful that all roads, highways and parking lots can be dangerous. Please drive and walk safely.
To set up a call, you can reach us at 770-717-5100 or contact us online.
