Although it is usually said that the majority of parking lot accidents are caused by the recklessness of drivers, this is not entirely true. Of course, drivers should always stay alert when in the car, but there are many distractors that can be easily eliminated by parking lot designers and owners. Check what can be done to reduce the number of car park crashes.
The most common parking lot accidents
When it comes to the accidents which take place on parking spaces, most of them are vehicle-on-vehicle crashes, e.g., when two cars back into each other, when one car is backing out of a parking spot hitting the other vehicle, when two cars drive into the same parking spot and collide, or when one vehicle rear-ends the other. These kinds of accidents are usually caused by drivers’ inattention and could be avoided. There is also a second class of parking lot accidents that involves vehicle-on-pedestrian crashes. These can have a detrimental effect on people moving around the lot and they are usually caused by poorly designed pedestrian lanes.
How to make a parking lot safer?
There are many ways in which you can increase the safety of an existing parking lot. Check out some examples.
Use signs
There is nothing worse than a parking lot that is not sufficiently marked. If the parking lot lacks signs indicating the driving direction, right of way or exit direction, drivers can get confused and lose vigilance. This can, in turn, lead to an accident.
Indicate free spaces
Free parking space indicators decrease traffic within a parking lot and reduce time spent in a parking lot. When people drive less and don’t have to circle around to find a free space, the possibility of an accident drops significantly.
Mark pedestrian lanes
The lack of properly marked pedestrian lanes is one of the biggest weaknesses of many parking lots, which can lead to vehicle-on-pedestrian accidents. What we recommend is to mark special pedestrian areas and zebra crossings with a clearly visible colour that stands out.
Get rid of distractors
Many parking lots are full of unnecessary distractors that can potentially cause crashes. Loud music, too many signs, poor lighting are only the most common examples. If you don’t know what elements distract parking users, just ask them – this is the best way to learn what should be changed in your parking lot.
Introduce a parking management system
Today, smart parking systems are one of the key elements of a modern parking lot. They can be found in both public and private parking areas and allow for easy parking space booking within a few clicks. These systems are particularly useful in office lots, where the same group of drivers seeks free parking spaces each consecutive day.
Parkalot – the parking space booking system that decreases the number of accidents
If you want to equip your office with innovative technology for easy parking space booking, Parkalot is the perfect solution. The software is aimed at companies that are willing to solve all parking issues and decrease the number of crashes. The system can easily be configured to mimic the layout of your parking lot so that its users can quickly and effortlessly book particular parking spaces. The app can be accessed via a web browser and doesn’t require pre-installation. It significantly reduces the amount of unnecessary traffic and ensures a frustration-free parking experience.
Want to try out our parking space booking software? Get started with a 30-day free trial and you will see for yourself how beneficial it could be for you and your staff.
If you’d like to introduce Parkalot – our car park management app – in your company, please contact us at contact-us@parkalot.io or book an onboarding call.Start using Parkalot in an hour. Allow your colleagues to commute by car, and park on the parking spaces assigned to those who are working from home.