Parking Lot Accidents
Parking lots are often chaotic, free-for-all messes to drive and walk in. Law enforcement is scare in parking lots, which leads to drivers feeling free to run stop signs or go the wrong way down one-way streets. Many drivers are unaware that the rules of the road apply when they are eagerly searching for the perfect parking spot, believing that because the parking lot is private property, the rules of the road do not apply. The rules of the road do, however, still apply even if there is no law enforcement, and drivers who violate the rules of the road will be held accountable both civilly and criminally when injuries occur. Similarly, the property owner or municipality (if the parking lot is public property) can also be held accountable for injuries caused by poor design, potholes, or other dangerous conditions.
Parking Lot Pedestrian Injuries Caused By Vehicles
There are over one billion parking spots in the United States, according to Vox—four spots for every car in America. Not only do these eyesore parking spots waste valuable space, they end up making cities less walkable. Obviously, the most dangerous aspect of parking lots is exiting one’s vehicle and getting to and from a store or office building. Parking lots not only have poor visibility when full, but drivers are often talking or texting on cell phones, speeding, and otherwise distracted while scanning the lot for an open spot. Distracted and impatient drivers must be held accountable for injuries they cause to pedestrians—injuries that can be extremely serious despite the relatively low speed of collisions in parking lots. According to AAA, 10 percent of collisions at just 16 miles per hour will cause extreme injuries to a pedestrian.
Parking Lot Slip, Trip, and Falls
Parking lot property owners and municipalities can be held liable for slip, trip, and falls in parking lots due to:
- Potholes;
- Cracked sidewalks;
- Tree roots;
- Construction work;
- Open grates or manholes;
- Debris; and
- Other tripping hazards.
In some cases, the property owner can also be sued, in addition to the negligent driver, when a pedestrian is injured due to poor road design—a lack of sidewalks, for example.
Parking Lot Motor Vehicle Collisions
Even relatively low speed car collisions can cause serious injuries for occupants. Whiplash and head injuries, for example, can occur in speeds of under 20 miles per hour. Moreover, if the vehicles are of vastly different sizes (a small sedan vs. a Ford F-150 for example), the injuries can be greatly exacerbated even at low speeds. Impatient and distracted drivers must be held liable when they cause injuries that could have been prevented.
Call Our Orlando Parking Lot Injury Lawyers Today For Help
There is no excuse for parking lot injuries. Drivers have a responsibility to keep their eyes on the road in front of them as they search for open parking spots, they must obey traffic rules, and they have an obligation to yield to pedestrians. If you were injured by a negligent driver as a pedestrian or occupant, or injured as a pedestrian due to a dangerous walking surface, call the Orlando pedestrian accident lawyers Payer Law today at 407-307-2979 to schedule a free consultation.
Resource:
aaafoundation.org/impact-speed-pedestrians-risk-severe-injury-death/
vox.com/a/new-economy-future/cars-cities-technologies
/common-causes-of-pedestrian-accidents/
