Common Causes Of Pedestrian Injuries In Parking Lots

People don't usually think of parking lots as dangerous places, especially compared to highways, but you can actually get a nasty injury in a parking lot. Here are some of the common causes of injuries in these places:

Wheel Stops

Wheel stops are meant to prevent accidents in case a parked car suddenly starts to roll on its own; for example, if a driver forgets to put on the hand brake. They also prevent motorists from encroaching on opposite parking spaces.

Unfortunately, they can be a danger to pedestrians if they aren't properly installed or maintained. For example, cracks of cement or misaligned wheel stops can trip visitors, leading to trip and fall injuries.

Poor Signage

Big commercial premises, such as shopping malls, handle thousands of visitors every day. For these reasons, businesses put up signs to guide visitors and help them navigate the premises without safely and with ease. Exit signs, parking signs, entry signs, maximum heights of spaces, and similar signs go a long way in preventing accidents if they are properly designed. However, missing signs can easily lead to confusion, and confusion among thousands of people can quickly lead to accidents. Without clear signs, motorists can knock over pedestrians when the two share routes that should not be shared.

Poor Lighting

This is one of the primary causes of accidents not only for pedestrians but also for motorists. For pedestrians, poor lighting can cause accidents in two main ways. First, you can miss a step or trip on something and fall if you are walking in the dark. Secondly, muggers like to work under the cover of darkness, which means you can be assaulted if and injured in a dark parking lot.

Moisture

This is another common cause of pedestrian accidents in parking lots. Moisture can come from different sources such as melting snow, rainfall, melting ice, cleaning water, and spilled oil, among other things. It is the parking lot operators' responsibility to clear up such sources of moisture or at least put up signs warning visitors of the danger.

Hopefully, you will never get injured in a parking lot. If you do get injured, however, try to preserve the evidence of your injury (pictures and videos of the scene of your accident would be great) if you are able to do so. You also need to inform the management immediately. That way you will have evidence to strengthen your case while pursuing your injury case. Then, talk with a personal injury attorney right away.