3 Ways To Use Bollards For Protection In Your Retail Parking Lot
Posted on: 2 October 2017
As many as one out of every five car accidents in the United States actually occurs not on the highway, but in public parking lots. When you stuff a ton of cars together in a confined space, along with several pedestrians, some accidents should be expected. However, as the owner of a retail establishment, there is one easy way you can protect pedestrians from being hit by a distracted or misguided driver in your parking lot.
Bollards are metal rods or rails that are anchored into the ground with concrete to provide a line of defense in areas of a parking area where pedestrians could be most at risk. Here are a few ways to use these bollards in your retail parking lot to help elevate safety of those visitors on foot:
Install bollards along the front entrance of the store.
The very front of the store is where the most pedestrians can be found at any given moment during your store's hours of business. Because of this, a car out of control heading for this area could put a lot of people in danger. Have sturdy bollards installed along the dividing point of the edge of the entryway and the parking area where cars usually travel. These barriers will act as a sturdy shield if a car accidentally veers toward the front of the store.
Install bollards beside walkways and usual foot-traffic paths.
One of the biggest reasons for accidents in a parking area is the fact that drivers are distracted. Most of the time, drivers will be more preoccupied with scoping out a place to park their car than paying attention to pedestrians. If there are walkways in your parking area that are not protected with concrete curbs, make sure you have bollards installed to give these usual routes of foot travel ample protection from vehicles.
Install bollards around handicapped parking areas.
Those who have mobility issues will naturally take longer to get in and out of their vehicles and put their purchased items into their vehicles. Because these particular pedestrians will be out in the parking area on foot for longer than most, it is best to ensure they are rightly protected. Install stainless steel bollards where you can along the perimeter or edge of handicap accessible parking spots. These posts will protect the handicapped shoppers but will also serve as a bold reminder for drivers to watch for slower moving pedestrians in the area.
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