Parking Lot Dangers — Van Backs Over Child And Mother

One of my least favorite places to have my kids is a parking lot.  Pedestrians in parking lots are vulnerable.  Cars are coming and going, and often approaching pedestrians from behind.  Parked vehicles are backing out of spots.  Drivers are racing to find that one free spot or racing to get out of the chaos of the parking lot.  And pedestrians are caught in the middle.

And it’s worse for kids.  I constantly remind my kids that they’re short enough so that drivers backing out of spots — especially drivers in an SUV, truck or mini-van, won’t see my kids through the rear-windows and mirrors.

On Friday’s Today Show, I saw a horrific story about a man who backed out of a spot, hit a mother and child, dragged the child behind the vehicle for a few feet, and then drove off.  While it was horrific, it was a good reminder of all of the dangers we face in parking lots.

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The timing of the story is ironic.  On Monday, July 22, I’m scheduled to start a trial involving a wreck in a parking lot — a driver either wasn’t paying attention or tried to go around the pedestrian (my client) and mis-judged the distance, and the driver hit my client.

I hope all of you will take the story or perhaps my upcoming trial as reminders of the immense dangers faced in parking lots and do what you can to help alleviate those dangers.

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