Many pedestrian crashes occur because drivers fail to see pedestrians in traffic. They are so focused on scanning for vehicles that they overlook people jogging on the shoulder of the road or crossing at an unexpected location.
Pedestrians are usually safest in locations where drivers expect to encounter them. Safety experts often recommend that pedestrians specifically cross at marked locations and prioritize well-lit routes if they walk after dark. Some of the best-lit locations that pedestrians frequent are parking lots. Additionally, drivers realize that parking lots are full of people coming to and from their vehicles.
In theory, parking lot pedestrian crashes should be relatively rare because drivers are on the lookout and should maintain low speeds. Unfortunately, parking lot pedestrian crashes are actually a relatively consistent, and perhaps an increasingly serious, safety concern.
Distraction is a major risk factor
Many drivers know that using mobile devices while on the open road is dangerous. However, they may feel less anxious about texting or posting to social media when they don’t have to maintain high speeds on public roads. More drivers admit to texting in parking lots than on surface streets and freeways.
They may view the lower speeds and reduced vehicle density as an indicator that distraction is less dangerous. Despite that perception, they can very easily end up striking a pedestrian because their focus is on their mobile phones.
Even at low speeds, bigger vehicles like SUVs, pickup trucks and crossovers can cause severe injury to pedestrians. Parking lot pedestrian crashes can even prove fatal in some cases.
Distracted drivers may be liable for causing crashes
When a driver strikes a pedestrian, they may have legal and financial responsibility for how their actions affected others. They may have to provide insurance coverage to the injured pedestrian. If the insurance coverage isn’t enough given the medical costs and lost wages generated by the incident, then the injured pedestrian or their surviving family members may be able to pursue a lawsuit against the distracted driver.
Recognizing common risk factors can empower people to seek justice after preventable pedestrian collisions. Distracted drivers are particularly dangerous for pedestrians even when they drive at slower speeds in parking lots.