Parking Safety: Tips for Safely Ending Your Drive

Security The Importance of Hiring Trained Guards

Consider these tips the next time you park your vehicle

When considering the many safety hazards driving can present, few people think about the dangers one might face when the journey is over, and they've arrived at their destination. But it's important to remember that your point A to point B travels are not complete until you exit your vehicle, so you can't let your guard down until that engine is finally turned off.

Over 50 percent of accidents occur close to a person's home, and it's fair to wonder how many of those occur at the endpoint. Parking garages, hilltops, and more all present a certain amount of danger for careless drivers, so consider these tips the next time you're parking your vehicle:

  • Use the parking brake. Especially if you're on a hill. While your vehicle, especially newer models, should have a reliable braking system, you can never be too careful on less-than-flat surfaces. Flick that switch or pull that lever just in case.
  • Leave some space. In parking garages, this is essential. You want to leave enough room between you and the vehicle beside yours so you can comfortably enter and exit the vehicle. While this is not always possible, you don't want to make it so there are merely a few inches separating cars. Not only could this result in someone scratching your doors by accident, but it could also lead to a minor accident or injury.
  • Don't rely on backup cameras. Backup cameras are a wonderful invention, especially for things like parallel parking. But don't solely rely on them (or the sensors in your car) to tell you whether you're safe to back up.

Backup cameras use a fish lens, meaning the objects might seem closer or farther away depending on the camera's viewpoint. Similarly, sensors are great as long as they function properly. If one goes out and your system doesn't recognize it, you could smash into another vehicle by accident without ever knowing there was an obstacle in the first place.

  • Be wary of the weather. Wet, windy, or hot conditions can play a factor in parking when you do so outside. If it's rainy, leave some extra room. If it's windy, make sure you hold onto your door as you exit so it doesn't hit another. It sounds self-explanatory, but it's worth noting, nonetheless.

Orion Secure is committed to keeping our clients accident-free, which is why we initiated the “Drive Safe” campaign with our monthly tips.