Black Friday Safety Tips

Posted & filed under Advice & How-to, Auto Safety, Car Insurance.

It’s Black Friday, which means that along with a lot of crazy sales, the streets and parking lots will be filled with a lot of crazy drivers. How dangerous can a parking lot be? Well, according to their 2001 data, the IIAA (Independent Insurance Agents of America) says, collisions in parking lots account for roughly twenty percent of all auto insurance claims every year, and that’s without the non-collision parking lot disasters: car-jackings, burglaries, vandalism… In fact, roughly 80% of all crimes committed in shopping centers or malls happen in the parking lot.

Madelyn Flanagan, a representative of the IIAA says that the real cost of parking lot accidents could actually be even higher than the numbers imply. She explains. “For every motorist who files a parking-lot accident insurance claim, there is another who pays the repair costs out of his own pocket because he doesn’t have the proper auto insurance, or because he feels it is more affordable over the long run than paying a higher insurance premium.”

So, how do you keep your car – and yourself – safe when you’re out shopping? Here are some helpful tips:

  • Watch for cars cutting diagonally across the parking lot – and don’t do the same thing. Maintain a slow speed, and always use turn signals.
  • When backing out of your parking spot, be hyper-aware of everything around you, including cars waiting for your spot, cars backing out at the same time, reckless drivers who speed down the lanes, and pedestrians who fail to notice that you’re backing out at all.
  • Especially in busy lots, don’t park between spaces. It could give you a space closer to the doors, but you car is likely to suffer serious dents or scrapes as a result.
  • During daylight hours, park as far from the store as possible. The remote spaces are generally less crowded, so your car will stay safer (and you can start working off all that turkey from the day before.
  • At night, pick spots that can be seen from the store or mall entrance, and are brightly lit. If possible, shop with a friend. And if there are no well-lit areas, complain – the store or mall management could be liable if you get attacked or injured because of it.
  • Always make sure you’ve rolled up your car windows (not that most of us actually “roll” them any more), and locked your doors. This is true even if you live somewhere warm and are driving a convertible. Even if the top is down, you’ll be covered by insurance as long as the windows are up and doors are locked – no, really!
  • When approaching your car, have your keys ready, and always check the back seat before getting in.
  • Always make sure your car insurance is current, and you have your insurance information with you.