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How many times,
when backing out of a parking space,
have you nearly hit
a pedestrian, another vehicle or a stationary object?
As per National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Parent Magazine, USA:
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27% of all accidents happen while
someone is backing up a vehicle.
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"Hitting a pole at just "5 - MPH", can easily result in
$500.00 to $1500.00 in damages to your vehicle.
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Each year hundreds of people are
injured and tragically killed in backup related accidents. Of those accidents,
over 100 of those killed are children, averaging in age from 1 to 4 years old,
who are hit by a vehicle that is backing up. The typical victim is a 2-year
old struck by a Parent, a Friend or a Relative while backing out of a
driveway.
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Over the past 3 years, a medium size company annually
averaged 6 preventable company vehicle accidents while the driver was backing
up. There are probably many more undocumented cases which have occurred to our
employees’ personal vehicles.
For the safety of everyone, reverse park at all times, unless parking is set
up at an oblique angle to the road or if it would increase the risk of an
accident. Keep in mind the following during parking:
- When approaching a parking space, you see all the
possible hazards and take the appropriate actions to avoid on-coming traffic,
pedestrians, other vehicles exiting adjacent parking spaces, or stationary
obstacles near the parking space.
- If you drive forward into the parking space, you have set
yourself up for some future hazards when you return to your vehicle.
- Reverse parking may initially take some effort to
get used to. However, just like wearing a seat belt, it will soon become
second nature.
Backing out of a parking space can be dangerous. When backing out keep the
following in mind:
- You may have to back your vehicle entirely out
into the traffic lane before you can even see the oncoming traffic. (very
unsafe);
- Your field of vision is limited;
- You can't see what is below the back of the
vehicle. (an animal, an obstruction, a child, etc.);
- The rear and side window pillars of the vehicle create greater blind
spots while backing up than while driving forward;
- Larger vehicles next to your vehicle can block
your view to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
The above posting was submitted by Puneet Korpal
of Calgary, Alberta, Canada for sharing knowledge which can save lives and
property.....Each time you park; ask yourself “why am I
reverse parking?” and then carry this safety thought with you for the rest of
the day.
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