Crime & Safety

Parking Lots—No Safe Haven for Pedestrians

Don't be a parking lot statistic, officials urged on Thursday.

Think a place for parked cars is safe for a pedestrian?

Think again. Last year, about 30 percent of pedestrian collisions in the county occurred in parking lots and garages, and nearly 20 percent of those caused debilitating injuries—the same percentage as for road collisions, according to a news release from the county executive's office.

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett launched an education campaign on Thursday to curb the growing number of pedestrian collisions occurring in parking lots and garages in Montgomery County. 

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Because most of the parking lot collisions in 2012 occurred in retail parking lots, commercial property managers and owners have partnered with the county to help raise awareness among drivers and pedestrians, according to the news release.

Joining Leggett at the campaign launch were Montgomery County Council Member Phil Andrews, Police Chief J. Thomas Manger, Fire Chief Steven E. Lohr, Department of Transportation Director Art Holmes, Public Information Office Director Patrick Lacefield and property managers and owners representing major shopping destinations in the county.

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"Slow down and look around," Lohr said. "You have to be seen to be safe. Look out, and look up," not down at mobile devices. 

"Finally, make eye contact between you and the driver. That's the only way you can be sure that the driver sees you, and you see the driver," Lohr said.

Of course, not all accidents in parking garages and lots have to do with cars colliding into pedestrians. In one recent incident, an altercation between two drivers in vehicles in the ring road around Westfield Montgomery mall moved into a nearby parking lot, where the driver of one of the vehicles allegedly got out of his vehicle and stabbed two occupants from the other vehicle, Patch reported.


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