Parking Lot Safety in Winter

Most of us have experienced that certain parking lot at the grocery store or mall that is just a nightmare to navigate around. Drivers often drive too fast, park too closely to other cars, and just don’t pay attention to what’s going on around them, and that’s why so many accidents occur in parking lots.

In the wintertime, the number of parking lot accidents increases because snow and ice-covered roads make navigating around tight spaces even more difficult. If you are involved in an accident and need some repairs done to your car, be sure to contact Berlin City Toyota of Portland. Our service and parts departments will assist you in any way we can.

Here are some tips to avoid parking lot accidents this winter if you live in Scarborough, Westbrook, Portland, Falmouth, and surrounding areas of New England.

Drive slowly and cautiously.
Make sure your mirrors are properly positioned for optimal viewing of the world around your vehicle.

Use your car’s safety features to the max including:
Rear view cameras
Radar and ultrasonic systems beep when they detect an object behind your car.
Vehicle cross traffic alert systems use sensors to apply the brakes when a vehicle is approaching.
Parking assist systems will automatically park your car for you.
Park far away from other cars when possible.
Look for pull-through spots to avoid having to back out later.
According to the Time Use Institute, the busiest grocery day and time is Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and the least crowded days are Mondays and Tuesdays, after 6:00 p.m. Shopping during these times may help reduce your chances of being involved in a parking lot accident in or around Scarborough, Westbrook, Portland, Falmouth, and surrounding areas of New England. If you need repairs done to your car, please contact Berlin City Toyota of Portland today.