Recent figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report that approximately 28,000 persons are injured by vehicles in “not in traffic” accidents every year in the United States, which include crashes in private property parking lots and public areas that are not considered streets or highways. Hundreds are killed – many a result of poor design or unsafe management practices by owners that rely on untrained contractors or vendors to help them operate their parking lots and storefronts.
The dangers of pedestrians walking near vehicles and store entrances and exits is well known and well documented. Drivers may inadvertently strike pedestrians for any number of reasons: distraction, impairment, medical emergency, pedal confusion, or driver error, and more. Prudent business owners should know of the hazards of wayward vehicles and they should have policies and programs in place to protect pedestrians from vehicles operating in parking lots or near storefronts. Whether a vehicle goes out of control because of a medical event, because of driver distraction or driver impairment, or because of a simple driver error, the results are the same. Parking Design Group has extensive experience in this area and therefore can help asset owners substantially reduce liability and possible litigation. READ MORE in our premises liability article.
