People inside vehicles benefit from some protection from the worst consequences of collisions. Safety restraints, airbags and vehicle design features can help protect the human body from severe injury in a crash. Unfortunately, not everyone involved in motor vehicle collisions has the protection of an enclosed vehicle.
Cyclists are very vulnerable in crash scenarios. The same is true of pedestrians. Generally speaking, pedestrians are usually safest in locations where drivers know to watch for them. Safety experts recommend that pedestrians cross at marked locations so that drivers yield to them as they should.
Most people crossing a parking lot might expect drivers to be aware of their presence. However, crash rates in parking lots have increased. The explanation for why is disappointing but not necessarily surprising.
Distraction in parking lots is a serious issue
Drivers generally understand that they shouldn’t handle mobile devices while operating their vehicles. They know they could cause a crash or receive a ticket if they get caught texting while driving. However, they may be more likely to break critical safety rules when they are not on the open road.
More drivers admit to texting or using social media in parking lots than on public streets. They may assume that lower levels of traffic and lower speeds help protect them from a major incident. However, drivers scrolling or typing on their phones won’t notice pedestrians, and there are usually pedestrians traveling between their vehicles and the nearby buildings in parking lots.
Drivers should always check for pedestrians before turning a corner or backing out of a parking space. When they fail to do so, they could seriously injure a pedestrian. Even at low speeds, a pedestrian crash can break bones or cause brain injuries. People may hit their heads on the vehicle or on the ground as they fall. In some cases, those collisions can result in premature mortality.
In a parking lot pedestrian crash scenario, the fault is almost always on the driver. Their unsafe habits are what cause pedestrian collisions. In situations involving distraction caused by technology, drivers are clearly at fault when they hit pedestrians.
Injured pedestrians may need help seeking insurance coverage or developing a personal injury lawsuit. Reviewing the circumstances of a pedestrian crash with a skilled legal team can help people hold drivers accountable for their unsafe habits.
