Many accidents occur when driving at high speeds, but over the next couple months, there may be an increase in crashes that take place when vehicles are moving at a snail’s pace. That’s because a rise in the number of shoppers means that parking lots are going to become potentially dangerous places, and to make sure you’re not going to be put at risk, you would be wise to put into action the tips available from AAA in a new report.
You basically don’t want to engage in those bad habits that you know other drivers will be focused on. A seatbelt needs to be affixed even in a parking lot. Don’t unbuckle early to beat other shoppers to the sales, and don’t wait until you leave the lot to snap it back into place. A crash at low speeds can at times by as hazardous as other accidents, especially if the collision prompts the airbag to go off.
You also need to put down the cellphone when you’re navigating. A phone call to a loved one to see what they want for Christmas can wait until the vehicle has been pulled into a parking spot. The same goes for any texts you need to send.
So that you don’t have to throw the vehicle into reverse (potentially putting inattentive pedestrians or children at risk), pull forward into a spot if you can. Otherwise, make sure that you have space to view your full surroundings. A backup camera can work wonders in this regard.