Safe Driving In Car Parks

If you're off down to the local supermarket or shopping centre at the weekend there is a good chance that it will be pretty busy.

Unfortunately accidents in car parks and multi-story parking lots can and do happen - whether it's simply a bump or a scratch - these are the very last thing you want to worry about when out shopping. In fact, according to research undertaken recently, as much as £1.3billion of damage has been caused by car park scrapes alone.*

So what can you do to avoid having an accident in a busy car park and avoid making a claim on your car insurance? Here's a few quick tips:

Drive slowly. 

Unfortunately it doesn't matter what speed the car park is set at not everyone sticks to it. It's not only important to drive the speed limit for legal reasons but also for safety reasons. 

Think about it for a few minutes - if you drive fast around a busy car park the chances of having an accident are greatly increased. By driving slowly you are giving yourself more time to stop should you need to - whether you're avoiding other cars pulling out of parking spaces or pedestrians walking to and from their vehicles.

Check carefully.

Always check your mirrors and look around you to make sure that your path is clear before you decide to pull out or go to park in a parking space.

Walk further. 

This might sound like a real pain but if you park further away from the entrance to the shop or shopping centre in a quieter, less crowded area you are less likely to have an accident - plus people are less likely to bump your car.

As with any accident - if you do happen to have an incident in a car park then you should report it to your car insurance provider immediately. By doing this you are protecting yourself should the other person file a claim or they don't have car insurance.

*Source: Confused.com