Surveillance failures are a leading cause of pedestrian crashes. Drivers who don’t actively look for people on foot may fail to notice them in traffic. They may cause preventable pedestrian crashes that generate serious injuries or worse.
Pedestrians are typically safest in locations where people expect to see them. Drivers look for pedestrians at busy intersections. They also typically know that there are many pedestrians navigating parking lots as well. Unfortunately, despite awareness of pedestrians being present in parking lots, parking lot crash rates have increased noticeably in recent years.
Drivers become too relaxed in parking lots
When on the open road or approaching intersections, drivers understand that they have to constantly watch for safety hazards. In a parking lot, they may become less vigilant. The lower speeds used in parking lots and the overall reduction in traffic density can give drivers a false sense of confidence.
More drivers admit to texting, interacting with social media or otherwise engaging with digital devices in parking lots as opposed to on the street. In the very location where they are most likely to have close proximity to pedestrians, drivers often fail to look for them.
While the crashes may involve slow-moving vehicles, pedestrians are at risk of severe injuries. They can break bones or even sustain brain injuries if they hit their heads on the pavement.
People injured in parking lot pedestrian collisions may have grounds for insurance claims or even personal injury litigation. Holding irresponsible drivers accountable for causing pedestrian crashes can compensate injured people and help inspire drivers to make safety more of a priority.