Latest Blogs

It is the holiday season.  Not only are stores packed with shoppers, so are parking lots packed with vehicles and pedestrians.

According to the Institute for Highway Safety, parking lot accidents account for more than 20% of auto insurance claims.  52% of injuries resulting from back-over accidents happen when vehicles back into pedestrians in parking lots.  Children and elderly pedestrians are especially vulnerable in parking lots.

There are steps motorists can take prior to entering parking lots to make their vehicles safer such as:

• Correctly setting side mirrors.

• If thinking about purchasing a new vehicle, consider buying one with collision avoidance technology such as rear-view cameras, radar and ultrasonic systems which beep when they detect objects behind the vehicles.  Also, vehicle cross-traffic systems are available which have sensors to apply the brakes when vehicles are approaching.

  When in parking lots, Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers and parkingsign.com recommend the following:

• Never drive diagonally through a parking lot.  Drive around empty parking spaces as if they had cars in them.

• When backing out of a parking space, double and triple check the room behind the vehicle, and be aware of other motorists who may be backing out at the same time or waiting for your space.

• Always be aware of pedestrians of all ages.

• Be very cautious in parking lots of convenience stores, post offices and other businesses that have frequent customer turnover.

• Don't take more than one parking space or park between spots, especially in busy lots.

• Park in well-lit areas.  If the lot is inadequately lit, tell management.  Retailers and parking lot owners can be, and have been, held liable for accidents in poorly lit parking lots.

• Accidents can happen anytime.  Don't remove seat belts until you are safely parked.

• Don't ignore parking lot rules.  Traffic laws may not exist in all parking areas, but all of them have regulations for pedestrian and driver safety in the form of speed limit, stop signs and marked crosswalks.

Parking lot rules apply to vehicles and pedestrians. Pedestrians should refrain from walking in the middle of the lane; do not text while walking, and make use of marked crosswalks. 

"Parking lots can be dangerous places.  Drivers and pedestrians need to stay alert to the potential of parking lot accidents.  Slowing down, proceeding with caution, and eliminating distractions, will make trips to the store safer," said Florida Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.

Florida Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney - the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal injury Attorneys, P.A. in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.