During the holiday season people aren’t just on the hunt for the perfect turkey or gift, they’re also looking for the perfect parking space.
Parking lots are packed on Black Friday and the days leading up to Thanksgiving, but all of those cars can be dangerous.
About 50,000 crashes happen every year in parking lots – and the days with the highest number of crashes during the holiday season are the day before Thanksgiving and the Friday before Christmas, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.
“It’s kind of crazy. People are in a rush, they have to pick up kids from school, they have work to do,” shopper Maryam Assar noted.
Even while driving around on her way to pick up groceries, she had a close call.
“Just cutting me off,” she said about another driver.
AAA spokesperson Doug Shupe said 14 percent of all crashes happen in parking lots.
“[Drivers] develop tunnel vison. The only thing they’re looking at is for an open spot," he said. "They’re not paying attention to peripheral vision and pedestrians and other traffic.”
Here are some tips on how you can avoid a crash:
- Park in the outer ring of a lot where there’s less traffic
- Turn on your headlights in a parking garage, even in the daytime
- Be alert and look for pedestrians and other cars.
AAA research shows these tips decrease chances of a crash.
“Just be patient and drive carefully,” Assar pleaded.
That's a surefire way to make sure everyone gets their holiday shopping done safely.