Why Pedestrian Accidents Happen Off the Road Too
Most people think pedestrian accidents only happen on busy streets and intersections. The truth is that parking lots are dangerous places where countless injuries occur every year. Drivers backing out without looking, speeding through parking aisles, and distracted by their phones create hazards that put shoppers, workers, and visitors at serious risk.
Why Parking Lots Are So Dangerous
Parking lots create unique hazards that make pedestrian accidents alarmingly common. Worse still, parking lot accidents can cause severe injuries despite lower speeds. Broken bones, head trauma, spinal injuries, and soft tissue damage are common when vehicles strike pedestrians in these confined spaces. Understanding these dangers shows why these accidents are anything but minor incidents:
- Poor Visibility and Blind Spots: Parked vehicles block sightlines and backing drivers face massive blind spots that cameras and mirrors can’t eliminate. It creates a deadly combination where pedestrians assume they’re seen and drivers assume the path is clear.
- Distracted Drivers: Drivers focused on finding spaces are checking their phones, talking to passengers, gathering belongings, or programming GPS systems instead of watching for pedestrians. Too often, it means they react too slowly or don’t see victims at all until impact occurs.
- Reckless Driving Behavior: Many drivers treat parking lots like free-for-alls where they speed through aisles, ignore stop signs, cut across spaces instead of following lanes, fail to yield to pedestrians, and aggressively compete for parking spots.
- Inadequate Lighting: Dim or broken lighting makes nighttime parking lot navigation treacherous by rendering pedestrians nearly invisible to drivers, especially in areas with heavy shadows where property owners have failed to maintain proper lighting.
- Poor Maintenance and Design: Faded lane markings, missing or damaged signage, potholes, uneven pavement, and confusing traffic flow patterns all contribute to accidents where property owners who neglect these issues share liability for resulting injuries.
Take Action Before It’s Too Late
Insurance companies will try to minimize parking lot accidents, claiming low speeds mean minor injuries. Don’t believe it. These accidents cause serious harm that requires substantial compensation. The property owner’s insurer and the driver’s insurance company will both try to avoid responsibility, leaving you caught in the middle without the money you need for medical care.
The Law Offices of Tim Misny can help you with your parking lot injury claim. When negligence in a parking lot causes you harm, I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call my office at (877) 614-9524 so that I can evaluate your case right away.
