Parking lot crashes peak in December, ICBC warns

The Insurance Corp. of B.C. is reminding shoppers to be careful and patient when parking at their local mall this holiday season, citing data showing that mall parking lot crashes peak in December.

According to ICBC, a total of 150,000 crashes took place in mall parking lots last year, resulting in 5,400 injuries. Most crashes occur in December which is, of course, when local malls see some of their busiest days.

The peak time for crashes is between noon to 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Each parking lot had an average of 200 crashes in 2017. Metrotown, for example, saw 740 crashes last year, while Tsawwassen Mills recorded 67.

A FEW REMINDERS FROM ICBC FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Rules of the road still apply in mall parking lots, even if they’re private property. That means drivers should avoid cutting diagonally through a lot and stick to travelling in appropriate lanes. Text messages, GPS navigation and music should be sent or set up before drivers start moving their vehicle.

The safest way to park a car in a parking lot is to back into your spot. This allows drivers to look for blind spots and check for pedestrians before leaving.

Park farther away and walk to the mall instead of circling around. Continuing to drive around while searching for a closer spot puts you at higher risk of a crash.

Slow down, be alert and pay attention to arrows and stop signs. Be cautious of pedestrians and children darting between cars.

Don’t block traffic by staking out a parking spot or trying to argue with another driver.