Christmas Parking Lot Survival Tips

When Andy Williams sang “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, he’d obviously never attempted to navigate the insanity that is a mall parking lot during the Christmas shopping season.

Heavy traffic, preoccupied drivers and pedestrians, often snow and ice-covered surfaces, races for empty parking spaces – It’s not all tinsel, twinkling lights and laughing children. In fact, parking lot accidents and parking lot crime spikes significantly each December, costing folks millions of dollars each year. Not only are the hazards of all those moving vehicles and wandering pedestrians an issue, parking lots are prime targets for thieves too.

By far the largest issue comes from inattentive drivers who back into other vehicles and then flee the scene, leaving the owner of the vehicle they hit to foot the repairs or even make an insurance claim.

With that in mind, here’s a few tips to keep you and your vehicle safe while you’re shopping this Christmas season:

1. The further from the entrance you park, the less likely you are to suffer any dings or scratches from shopping carts or inattentive drivers opening their door into the side of your vehicle.
2. Whether you’re backing into or backing out of your parking spot, watch for others doing the same thing or drivers who go too fast through the lanes trying to find an open spot.
3. Avoid secluded areas of the lot at night, park near light posts when possible, and be aware of your surroundings when walking to your vehicle.
4. Look out for vehicles cutting across the lot as opposed to staying in a lane.
5. Double check to ensure you’ve locked your vehicle and put any packages in the trunk or out of sight.
6. Now is a good time to review your automobile insurance policy. Liability coverage protects you if you cause an issue, collision coverage will take care of the damage to your vehicle and comprehensive coverage will take care of things should you run afoul of thieves or vandals.

The brokers and support staff at DPM Insurance Group are prepared to help you ensure you have the automotive coverage you need to keep you adequately protected this holiday season, and beyond. At DPM, your security is our responsibility.