Keep Your Vehicle Safe From Damage In The Parking Lot

Parking lots can sometimes seem like a war zone when it comes to your vehicle. Between anxious drivers racing up and down the aisles looking for a great spot and abandoned shopping carts that seem to be rolling all over the place, there are a number of elements in a parking lot can cause damage to a vehicle. Make sure you know how to protect your car.

Avoiding Parking Lot Damage

In terms of parking, consider your surroundings. Even if there's a spot in the front, if the spot is narrow or the existing cars parked on both sides are near the edge of their parking lines – pass it up. There's a good chance one of their car doors will slam into yours when they try to enter their vehicles. Avoid parking near cart collection sites since some people won't actually take time to secure their cart inside the cage, allowing it to slam into your car.

When traveling through a parking lot, keep it slow. The slower you drive, the faster you can react and break to avoid an accident. Lastly, even if you're in a hurry, open your car doors slowly. There could be a railing, curb or some other obstruction that you aren't aware of. Opening the door slowly can help you avoid a ding.

Repair

Unfortunately, practicing parking lot safety can sometimes inevitably lead to damages, including scratches, door dings or a full-on collision. In terms of scratches, a superficial scratch can generally be repaired with an option known as spray-less scratch repair. With this method, a filling material is placed inside the crack, where is spreads and seals. Since the area is so small, it doesn't typically require painting.

As far as dings, a small ding from a shopping cart or other car door can often be repaired without having to paint the vehicle. A technique can be performed where the dented area is actually pushed outward, removing the dent and restoring the look of the car. When it comes to a full-on collision with another vehicle or object, the extent of damage and location of the damage will determine which repair method is best suited. A repair technician will be able to guide you.

First, make sure you are practicing safety tips that can help minimize your risk of vehicle damage in a parking lot. In the event your vehicle does sustain damage, make sure you are taking it to Lombard Body & Fender Inc or another collision repair specialist.