When thinking about car accidents, most people think of a car crash on a motorway or a busy road.
However, one in five accidents happen in car parks, and all of them can be avoided.
With accidents regularly happening in car parks, here are the top accidents and how to stop them from happening.
When two drivers reverse into each other
When cars try to park, especially during busier periods such as Christmas, it is crucial that you not only focus on parking but that you also continue to look at your surroundings. You need to make sure that you are not endangering pedestrians or other vehicles while getting into the space. The majority of spaces you will find in car parks will involve you needing to be able to bay park.
To avoid reversing into another car, our driving instructor, Thomas Henson, providing driving lessons in London, advises that, “Whenever you stop, make sure you do a six-point check before you continue with the manoeuvre. This way, you know that you are safe to continue the manoeuvre, and you won’t hit another car.”
Pulling out of your space and hitting another car or a pedestrian
When leaving your parking spot, you need to know what you will be driving into. If you cannot see past the cars next to you, you need to make sure you approach with caution. Never attempt a gun it approach, as this is the most dangerous option. You need to make sure that you approach with caution and travel at a slow speed. This will enable you to stop if a car or pedestrian suddenly appears in front of you. If you are in a busy car park, especially one located at a supermarket or shopping centre, you will regularly see pedestrians, trollies and other cars looking for a space.
If you are struggling with this, our driving instructor, Sabia Kazan, who provides driving lessons in Luton, has given this advice to all learner drivers, “You need to make sure that you approach the problem with caution. If you have someone with you, you can ask them to help guide you out and make sure you are safe. However, if you don’t have anyone with you, make sure you take your time as you do not need to rush to leave the space.”
You are distracted and hit into an object
The majority of accidents around the country result from distraction. One lapse in judgement could cause you to hit another car, pedestrian or bollard. Being distracted by a phone, your music, another person, or searching for a space could cause you to have an accident. When driving, you should never be distracted, especially by a mobile phone as if you are caught using a mobile whilst driving you can receive six points on your licence and a £200 fine.
You need to make sure that you are still focused when you are in a car park as, whilst the speed limit and risk factor are lower, you can still be involved in an accident. You should only stop focusing on driving once you have parked your car and turned off the engine.
These accidents can all be avoided by simply using the techniques you would have been taught in your driving lessons. You need to make sure that you stay safe whilst driving and constantly know your surroundings. Whilst car parks may seem safe, and the risk of accidents is lower, you need to remain attentive and focused on driving whenever you are a driver. Due to this, here are our top five tips on staying safe and avoiding accidents.
1. Find a reference point
Whether you’re reversing into a space, parallel parking or driving in forwards, it’s essential to find a reference point on your car that will let you know when you need to turn into the space. Use your mirrors to find a reference point that works for you, and use it every time you park.
2. Take it slow
Whilst you need to move slowly into a space by accelerating gently, you’ll need to turn the steering wheel quickly to ensure your car manoeuvres in time to avoid hitting anything. Again, a reference point will help you here. If you are driving a manual car, use the clutch to move the vehicle at slow speeds.
3. Keep an eye on your surroundings
Use your mirrors to see how close you are to other cars, as well as keeping an eye on your surroundings – a pedestrian or cyclist could pass by at any moment, so it’s important to know what’s going on around you. Don’t solely rely on your mirrors or reversing camera’s look over your left and right shoulder when reversing backwards.
4. Consider if you’ll be able to get out of the space
It’s worth considering whether if another car were to park too close, would you still be able to make it out of the space. Leave plenty of room between your car and surrounding vehicles to ensure you have plenty of space when you need to move.
5. Take a note of where you’ve parked
When you’re in a rush, it’s surprisingly easy to forget where you parked your car – after all, most car parks and side roads look very similar! Take note of the name of the street or car park or any distinguishing landmarks that will help you find your car later on.
