Parking lots are such an ordinary part of everyday life that most people move through them without giving safety much thought. We park at grocery stores, shopping centers, workplaces, restaurants, hospitals, schools, apartment buildings, entertainment venues, and countless other places.
But parking lots combine moving vehicles, pedestrians, limited visibility, distractions, and sometimes isolated areas. Staying safe requires paying attention not only to personal security, but also to traffic and the environment around you.
Parking lot safety begins before you ever leave your vehicle.
When possible, choose a parking space in a well-lit and reasonably visible location. Parking closer to an entrance can reduce the distance you need to walk, but visibility may sometimes matter more than finding the absolute closest space.
Avoid parking next to large vehicles when you have another reasonable option. Vans, trucks, and SUVs can reduce your ability to see approaching traffic and can also make it more difficult for other drivers to see you when you’re backing out or walking between vehicles.
Take a moment to notice where you’ve parked.
Large parking lots and garages can become confusing, particularly after several hours. Remember the row, level, section, or nearby landmark, or take a quick photograph of the location.
Knowing where your vehicle is prevents you from wandering through a parking lot while distracted and searching for it.
Before getting out of the vehicle, look around.
Notice who is nearby, whether vehicles are moving beside you, and whether anything about the immediate area requires additional attention.
Once outside, stay aware of traffic.
Parking lots can create a false sense that vehicles are moving slowly enough that pedestrians don’t need to pay much attention. Drivers may be backing out, searching for spaces, looking at navigation systems, dealing with children, or watching for other vehicles instead of pedestrians.
Never assume a driver sees you simply because you’re visible.
When walking behind a parked vehicle, watch for reverse lights, brake lights, engine movement, and other signs that the driver may be preparing to back out.
Whenever possible, give vehicles enough room to maneuver rather than walking directly behind them.
Children require especially close supervision in parking lots.
Young children can be difficult for drivers to see, particularly when they’re standing between parked vehicles. Hold younger children’s hands or keep them immediately beside you while moving through traffic areas.
Don’t allow children to run ahead toward the vehicle simply because they recognize where it’s parked.
Shopping carts can create another distraction.
Loading groceries while supervising children, returning a cart, checking your phone, and organizing purchases can divide your attention in several directions.
Handle one task at a time when possible and keep children somewhere safe while you’re loading the vehicle.
Secure shopping carts after using them. An unattended cart can roll into traffic, strike another vehicle, or create a hazard for pedestrians.
Personal security becomes particularly important when returning to your vehicle.
Before leaving a store, workplace, restaurant, or other building, have your keys accessible. You don’t want to reach the vehicle and then spend several minutes searching through a purse, backpack, or pockets.
That doesn’t mean you need to walk through the entire building holding your keys. Simply make sure you know where they are before stepping into the parking lot.
Keep your head up as you walk.
Phones are useful, but the middle of a parking lot isn’t the best place to become absorbed in a text message, email, social media post, or video.
You need your eyes and ears available for vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, shopping carts, and activity around you.
Headphones can create similar problems. If you’re listening to music or another program, keep the volume low enough that you can hear approaching vehicles and other important sounds.
Walk directly toward your vehicle rather than wandering unnecessarily.
Being confident about where you’re going allows you to concentrate on your surroundings instead of searching every row.
As you approach your vehicle, look around it.
Pay attention to anyone standing or sitting unusually close to your car, particularly if their behavior makes you uncomfortable. Don’t automatically assume someone near your vehicle has bad intentions, but don’t ignore circumstances that concern you either.
If something doesn’t feel right, you don’t have to continue toward the vehicle.
Return to the building. Go somewhere populated. Ask an employee or security officer for assistance. Wait until the situation changes.
Many shopping centers, hospitals, workplaces, colleges, and other facilities have security personnel who may be able to escort someone to a vehicle.
Use that service when you need it.
There’s no prize for proving that you could walk across an uncomfortable parking lot alone.
Nighttime requires additional awareness.
Whenever possible, park underneath or near working lights. A well-lit area improves your ability to see other people, vehicles, pavement conditions, and obstacles.
Lighting also helps drivers see you.
If you parked during daylight but expect to leave after dark, think about what the area will look like when you return. A space that seems perfectly comfortable at noon may feel considerably more isolated after nearby businesses close.
Parking garages present their own challenges.
Pay attention to stairwells, elevators, entrances, exits, and emergency call stations when they’re available. Know which level you parked on and choose populated, well-lit routes through the garage when possible.
Avoid unnecessary shortcuts through isolated sections.
If an elevator opens and something about the situation makes you uncomfortable, you can wait for another one. Personal safety doesn’t require you to override your judgment simply because you’re worried about seeming impolite.
Once you reach your vehicle, unlock only the doors you need when your vehicle’s settings allow it.
Before getting inside, make sure the vehicle appears the way you left it. If you notice broken glass, an open door, significant damage, or signs that someone may have entered the vehicle, don’t immediately climb inside.
Move somewhere safe and assess what happened. Contact law enforcement or property security when appropriate.
After entering the vehicle, close and lock the doors.
Then put away your belongings, fasten your seat belt, start the vehicle, and prepare to leave.
Sitting in a parked vehicle for an extended period while completely focused on your phone can reduce your awareness of what’s happening around you.
If you need to make a call, send a message, or enter directions into navigation, you can do that before driving, but remain generally aware of the surroundings.
Your vehicle shouldn’t become a place where you completely stop paying attention simply because the doors are locked.
Keep valuables out of obvious view when leaving your vehicle unattended.
A laptop, handbag, shopping bags, electronics, cash, or other valuable property sitting visibly inside a vehicle can create an unnecessary opportunity for theft.
If something needs to remain in the vehicle, secure it appropriately and, when practical, place it out of sight before arriving at the destination rather than standing in the parking lot visibly moving valuables around.
Don’t leave your keys inside an unattended vehicle, even if you’re stepping away only briefly.
The same principle applies to leaving a vehicle running while going inside a store or other building. Convenience can create an unnecessary opportunity for theft.
Drivers also have significant responsibilities for parking lot safety.
Slow down.
A parking lot isn’t a roadway where saving a few seconds matters. Pedestrians can appear from between vehicles with very little warning.
Children are particularly difficult to see because of their height, and someone pushing a shopping cart may emerge from behind a larger parked vehicle.
When backing out, use your mirrors and available cameras, but don’t depend entirely on technology.
Backup cameras can improve visibility, but they don’t replace physically checking the areas around your vehicle.
Look before moving and continue looking while backing out.
If visibility is obstructed, move slowly enough that you have time to react.
Drivers should also avoid cutting across rows of empty parking spaces.
Marked travel lanes create a more predictable traffic pattern. Driving diagonally across multiple spaces can surprise pedestrians and other motorists who aren’t expecting a vehicle to approach from that direction.
Follow directional arrows and stop signs even when the parking lot appears empty.
Parking lot traffic rules aren’t decorative.
Distracted driving is particularly dangerous in parking lots because so much is happening within a small area.
Don’t start reading a text message simply because you’re moving at five miles per hour. A child, pedestrian, shopping cart, or backing vehicle can appear almost instantly.
Finish what you’re doing before putting the vehicle in motion.
Pedestrians should also avoid walking directly down the center of driving lanes when safer routes are available.
Use designated walkways and pedestrian areas when provided, but remain attentive even there.
Paint on the pavement doesn’t physically stop a vehicle.
Weather can dramatically change parking lot conditions.
Rain can create slick pavement and reduce visibility. Snow can hide curbs and parking lines. Ice can make both walking and driving hazardous.
Snowbanks can also create major visibility problems by blocking the view of pedestrians and vehicles at intersections within the parking lot.
Move more slowly when conditions are poor.
Footwear matters too. Someone walking across an icy parking lot in shoes without adequate traction may face a greater immediate danger from falling than from any security threat.
Take smaller steps, use cleared walkways when available, and don’t rush.
Parking lots at major events can create different problems.
Concerts, sporting events, fairs, festivals, and other large gatherings can produce heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic at the same time.
Remember where you’ve parked before entering the event and expect congestion when leaving.
Trying to beat everyone out of the parking lot can lead to aggressive driving and unnecessary risk. Sometimes waiting several minutes for traffic to thin is the safer and less stressful choice.
Alcohol should also factor into parking lot decisions.
If you’ve been drinking, don’t allow reaching your parked vehicle to become an excuse to drive.
Arrange a designated driver, rideshare, taxi, public transportation, or another safe option. If you’re with someone who shouldn’t be driving, help them make another plan.
People working late shifts should consider parking arrangements before the workday begins.
If employees will be leaving after dark, workplaces may allow staff to park closer to the building or in designated areas. Security escorts may also be available.
Ask about those options rather than assuming you have to cross an isolated lot alone.
Older adults and people with mobility limitations may need to consider distance, pavement conditions, curbs, lighting, and available accessible parking.
Safety isn’t only about preventing crime. Falls and vehicle-pedestrian collisions can be serious risks as well.
Parents should teach teenagers about parking lot awareness as soon as they begin driving.
New drivers are learning to control a vehicle while simultaneously watching for pedestrians, parked cars, shopping carts, signs, and other moving vehicles.
Parking lots can be excellent places to reinforce the importance of slow speeds, constant observation, and patience.
If someone approaches you in a parking lot asking for directions, money, assistance, or something else, you can decide how much interaction you’re comfortable having.
You don’t need to assume the person has harmful intentions, but you also aren’t obligated to remain in a situation that makes you uncomfortable.
Maintain reasonable personal space and move toward other people or back inside a building if necessary.
If someone attempts to block you, threatens you, follows you, or tries to force entry into your vehicle, prioritize getting away and contacting emergency services when you can safely do so.
Property can be replaced.
Your first priority in a dangerous situation should be your personal safety rather than protecting a purse, shopping bag, phone, or other possession.
One of the most effective parking lot safety habits is simply slowing down.
Drivers should slow down physically. Pedestrians should slow down mentally.
Take a few seconds to look around before leaving the vehicle. Pay attention while walking. Know where you’re parked. Have your keys ready before reaching the car. Look around before getting inside.
Those small habits don’t require special equipment or complicated planning.
Parking lots are ordinary places, and that’s exactly why people can become careless in them.
Familiarity can make us stop paying attention.
Street smarts means recognizing that awareness shouldn’t disappear simply because you’ve reached the grocery store, workplace, shopping center, or restaurant.
You don’t need to be suspicious of everyone in the parking lot. You simply need to remain aware of the environment, the traffic, and the people around you.
Park smart. Walk alert. Drive slowly. Limit distractions.
A few extra seconds of awareness can make the difference between an ordinary trip to your vehicle and a situation that could have been avoided.