The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is upon us. Let’s face it, most residents in Washington state and other states in the United States have started their holiday shopping even before Thanksgiving happened.
But with all the deals in full force, individuals and families are not only shopping online deals but also rushing to the store to get this season’s must haves. Because of that traffic has increased and parking lots are filled. This also results in an increase in pedestrians and vehicles encountering one another, especially in parking lots.
When are pedestrian accidents more likely? The holiday season is a time where many major cities see an influx in auto-pedestrian collisions. Why is that? The stress of the holidays, the busy schedules of motorists and the rush to get hot items often causes drivers to not paying attention while parking or traveling in a parking lot.
What are the major culprits of these parking lot pedestrian crashes? First, drivers are traveling too fast. They are not only in a rush to get their shopping done; they are also in a rush to find a parking spot. Depending on the day and time, parking lots could be nearly full. This creates the desire to out beat other motorists to the next open parking spot. Second, drivers are distracted because they are on their phone. Finally, drivers are pulling out of their parking spots too quickly, failing to notice pedestrians walking by.
A pedestrian accident is likely to result in serious injuries and much pain and suffering, even if it was a slow moving crash in a parking lot. A person cannot withstand the size, weight and force or a vehicle, even at slow speeds. Every time a vehicle will win in an auto-pedestrian crash. Therefore, victims of such a crash should understand their rights. A personal injury claim could help an injured pedestrian hold a negligent driver accountable and recover compensation for losses and damages.
Source: Newsandsentinel.com, “AAA warns of holiday parking lot accidents,” Nov. 23, 2017