How To Prevent Car Park Accidents

Sometimes it can be tempting to just wrap your whole car in bubble wrap to avoid it getting any bumps or scratches, because even in secure places like a car park, where you least expect to have an accident or damage your car, your car may not be safe.

When RAC carried out an Insurance research, they found that a third of you have been the victims of at least one car park incident, incurring an average bill of £2,050! Almost a quarter of you unfortunate souls have endured up to 5 incidents!

That being said, cars are getting larger and parking spaces are getting smaller, which could be contributing to more accidents. It has been reported that crowded car parks are the cause of parking prangs, now costing in the region of 1.4 billion a year according to Yahoo Finance UK – with supermarkets named as the number one spot for British motorists.

So how exactly are you supposed to prevent an accident from occurring? That’s what the following tips are for, they will help you avoid collecting damage on your car, and will make you aware of how to avoid damaging another parked car.

Watch Your Surroundings & Check Your Side Mirrors

Sometimes when driving into a parking lot and looking for a space, it’s easy to get lost in your own world, whether you’re talking to a passenger or lip syncing to your favourite song. Always stay alert as you can encounter many different hazards.

Imagine individuals unexpectedly darting out between parked cars, or a parked car begins to back out of its space, you need your undivided attention on your surroundings ahead, or you could possibly cause an accident.

Drive Slow And Steady

When pulling into a car park, it can feel like a race against time to find any available parking space, but speeding around corners whilst anxiously looking through each aisle is a recipe for an accident. Similarly, if you’re ready to leave and you begin backing out of your space without checking your mirrors and your blind spot, you may collide with another car or in a worst-case scenario, injure a pedestrian.

Always proceed with caution when getting out of your car, because throwing your door open could result in you hitting a neighbouring car, causing scratches or dents.

Strategically Park Your Car

Have you ever gone past a car which is parked across the white lines instead of in-between them? Do you want to be ‘that’ person? If not, then be sure to take your time in pulling in to a parking spot and centring the car properly within the space. By doing so, you are decreasing the chance of other people opening their car doors on to your car.

To make it more convenient for when you are exiting the car parking space, reverse parking is more suited, as it will allow you to avoid backing up into any other car.

Select The Right Parking Spot

Parking close to your destination is always appealing, but the closer you get, you may find it is more crowded. The smarter option would be to find an empty spot that has more space, preferably one that isn’t situated between two cars, or one that is at the end of a row. Imagine your only option is a tight fit between two cars, then take precautions and fold your wing mirrors in, to avoid car doors opening up into them.

Avoid Parking Next To Obstacles

It’s better to avoid parking next to any unnecessary obstacles, as you don’t need the pressure of avoiding a pole, for example, to increase the stress of getting in or out of a parking spot without having an accident.

Consider Who You’re Parking Next To

We are told to not ‘judge a book by its cover’, but if you see that somebody’s car has many abrasions, then it’s natural to feel wary of parking next to them. It’s not always the case, but they may not be as attentive as a driver as you may be. To avoid the risk of their negligence affecting your car, you may feel more comfortable parking next to a car that seems more cared for.

Passengers Should Be Careful

It may be the driver’s responsibility to park in a suitable spot, but passengers should also pay attention to their surroundings. Opening and closing doors should be done with care, as to avoid denting another car or possibly hurting other people, who may be walking to or from their parked car. RAC has conducted research, hence discovering that around 53% of drivers who have had their car damaged in a car park, believe it was due to another vehicle scraping theirs. Furthermore, around 32% presumed that the damage came from car doors being opened up on to their motors.

If you ever find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being in a car parking incident and are having to repair scratches and dents on your car, get in touch with Bodyteq today! We offer a range of bodywork services that will have your car back to its original pre-accident condition. We can also handle the entire claims process if you are looking to go through insurance.