If you’re like most people, then you generally feel fairly safe when driving in a parking lot. After all, how likely is it that you’ll be in a car accident? Even if you are, it’s not likely that you’ll suffer from a catastrophic injury, right? The truth about car accidents in parking lots may surprise you. Read on to learn more and then reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 if you’ve been injured in a car accident.
You may be surprised by the statistics
In many ways, parking lots are just as dangerous, or maybe even more dangerous, than a highway with vehicles traveling 80+ miles per hour. Part of the reason they’re so dangerous is that people feel safer and don’t take precautions. They assume that since cars are moving more slowly, they are safe. The truth is that stats show that more than 60,000 injuries happen in parking lots each year. More than 500 people die in parking lot or garage accidents each year. This is a serious issue that should be taken seriously.
Serious injuries can happen even at low speeds
One of the most serious issues with parking lot accidents is that because they typically involve low speeds, those involved don’t necessarily seek medical treatment. They may notice that their back or neck hurts, but assume that since they were hardly moving at the time of impact, that it’s a minor issue. This is not always the case. A collision at a very low speed can still lead to serious injuries. If you were hit in a car accident, it doesn’t matter the circumstances – you should seek out medical attention.
There are hidden dangers in parking lots
Another serious issue with parking lots is the high number of hidden dangers. This may be something as simple as a child darting between cars, who’s so short that you can’t see them. it may refer to a car that backs up into a bicyclist who wasn’t paying attention. Drivers may be looking at their phones and not correctly checking out what’s going on behind and around them before backing up.
One of the biggest dangers that people don’t think about is stress. It’s common for a person in a parking to be stressed, especially if they’ve had to drive around for a while to find a parking spot, or if it’s a busy shopping time and they’ve just fought through hordes of shoppers to get what they needed. Some people are running late and just don’t pay as much attention as they should.
Design flaws can make parking lots dangerous
One of the biggest issues with many parking lots is that they aren’t designed particularly well. Some have many blind spots, others have no crosswalks. Some don’t even have sidewalks, which make them even more dangerous for pedestrians.
If you’ve been injured in an accident that took place in a parking lot, please let Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas help. Call our offices at 909-982-0707 to set up a free legal consultation.
