If you are in charge of a parking lot, whether this is in a workplace or for a social venue, you’ll know what a hectic and potentially dangerous place it can be. Planning and organisation are key to keeping the traffic flowing, preventing accidents from occurring and to keep pedestrians safe.

Here are some tips on how to organise your parking lot so that it’s a safe place for all its users:

Assign parking spaces

Assign and cordon off specific parking areas for employees, members and visitors. Clearly mark these out using reflective stencils, and perhaps consider using parking posts to prevent non-users from parking in these spaces. Parking posts also add an extra layer of security for users as they can be raised and locked with the car parked in the space, which prevents thieves trying to break in and driving off with their car.

Control drivers speed

Some drivers find it tempting to put their foot down in a parking lot and drive in excess of the speed limit. In reality, this is a dangerous exercise, as another car may suddenly pull out of a parking space or a pedestrian may step out between cars. To prevent speeding in your parking lot, use clear signage to advise drivers of the speed limit and think about installing speed bumps or curbs to control the drivers’ speed.

Clear walkways

As we’ve mentioned parking lots can be a dangerous place for pedestrians. To stop them venturing into areas they shouldn’t, clearly, mark out pathways and perhaps install barriers or fencing to separate parking spaces and walkways. It’s also important to quickly clear any obstacles (like rubbish or shrubbery) which prevents pedestrians using the pathway. A simple way to do this is to undertake regular inspections of the parking lot and report any damage immediately to the relevant department.

Restrict entry

Unauthorised users parking in spaces they shouldn’t be causes lots of problems. If authorised users can’t get into their assigned space, they may be tempted to park in areas they are not meant to. This can restrict a motorist’s view and thus can increase the chance of an accident happening. You can control who enters your parking lot by having a guard on duty or by installing an electronic parking lot barrier which can only be opened with a secure key card.

Make it safe at night

Parking lots can be a scary place at night, particularly for people who are on their own. It’s easy for someone to be hiding between cars or in dark corners. Make the users of your parking lot feel safe by installing bright lights at regular intervals, particularly in entrances and exits, corridors and along pathways and walkways. If any lights become damaged or stop working report it immediately to the maintenance team to be fixed.

Taking into consideration the above tips you’ll be able to rest safe in the knowledge that your parking lot is a safe environment for anyone who enters it, whether that be staff members or visitors.

*Collaborative post