Guide to Parking Lot Accidents In Ontario

If you’ve ever been shopping over the holidays or before a long weekend, you most likely know how busy parking lots can get, especially in large towns and cities in Ontario.

Parking lots in Ontario are a prime location for accidental collisions ranging from minor fender benders with other motorists to life-threatening collisions with pedestrians. Because of this, you need to keep a watchful eye on where you’re going and what you’re doing while driving in a busy parking lot.

Do you know what to do if you’re involved in a parking lot accident? If not, check out the following parking lot accident Ontario guide that our team at Surex has put together. 

Continue reading to get started!

Do you know what to do if you get into a parking lot accident in Ontario? — A guide to parking lot accidents

Drivers in Ontario should treat parking lot accidents with the same level of care as they would an on-road collision. 

After getting into an Ontario parking lot accident, you’ll want to take the following steps to ensure the safety of yourself, your vehicle and the other party (or parties) involved in the accident.

• If possible, move your vehicle to the outer portion of the main thoroughfare of the parking lot.
• Check yourself and your passengers for injuries.
• Check in on the other driver to make sure that they’re ok.
• Exchange contact and insurance information with the other party or parties.
• If the damage to both vehicles exceeds $2,000, you’ll need to report the accident at a nearby collision reporting centre.
• Tell your insurance provider or broker about the accident, damages, other person's information, etc.

The final step is extremely important, even if you decide to pay for the repairs independently. 

For instance, you got into an accident in a parking lot in Ontario with another driver, but both of you decided to pay for the damage independently and not get your insurance companies involved. Afterwards, the other driver realizes that the collision injured them, and they choose to file a claim.

If you’re deemed at-fault for the accident, your insurance company will increase your risk level as a driver, which can lead to higher car insurance rates at the time of renewal.

Something else to consider: Sometimes at-fault drivers will offer to pay for the other persons repairs if nominal. Be sure to pay the repair shop directly, and not the other driver cash. Otherwise, once you've handed over the money the other driver may decide to still run the claim through his insurance carrier, and it will still end up as an at-fault loss against your insurance history, potentially increasing your rates.

This is why you should always notify your car insurance company about parking lot accidents in Ontario; it’s better to be safe than sorry!

5 common causes of parking lot accidents in Ontario

Parking lots in Ontario can get surprisingly busy, especially around peak shopping hours. Packing a variety of busy drivers, pedestrians and cyclists into a confined space creates the perfect storm and often leads to parking lot accidents. 

If you want to avoid parking lot accidents in Ontario, you need to be aware of the common causes. Taking the time to learn the common causes of parking lot accidents gives you a better idea of what to look out for while driving in parking lots and can help you avoid making costly mistakes.

Some of the most common causes of parking lot accidents include:

• Two motorists pull out from their respective parking spaces and collide with each other.
• Distracted motorists colliding with vehicles, pedestrians or private property.
• Drivers exiting a feeder lane and hitting with drivers in the main thoroughfare.
• Two vehicles crash into each other while racing towards the same parking spot.
• Drivers failing to obey traffic signs (stop signs, pedestrian passing zones, etc.).

In short, many parking lot accidents are caused by distracted driving, speeding or failing to obey the rules of the road (which also apply to privately-owned parking lots). So, if you want to reduce the risk of parking lot accidents, the best thing that you can do is drive safely and responsibly.

Do you know what to do after being involved in a hit and run in a parking lot in Ontario?

If you ever accidentally hit another driver’s vehicle, the first thing that you should do is leave a note (with your contact and insurance information). You can also wait for them to return to their vehicle so you can explain the situation in person. 

If someone else sees you leaving the scene without leaving your contact information, they can call the police and you can be charged with leaving the scene of an accident.

If you choose to drive away without leaving your contact information, it can count as a parking lot hit and run.

Similarly, if you’re wondering, “what can I do if someone hit my parked car and left?”, you should take a moment to look for a note on your windshield or underneath your windshield wiper. 

Most drivers want to do their due diligence if they get into an accident, so if you return to your parked car and notice that it’s been damaged, there’s a good chance that there’s a note waiting for you.

However, if the driver fled the scene without leaving any form of contact information, then you should file a report with your local authorities and contact your insurance provider or advisor. You will also want to take pictures of your car in the lot and the surrounding area to provide to your insurance provider as additional proof of the hit and run to your vehicle. Another great idea is to ask the parking lot for a copy of their video surveillance if they have it.

So, if you’ve been wondering what to do when someone hits your parked car in Ontario, you now know that you should look for a note or call the authorities (if no note is present).

4 parking lot accident rules and regulations Ontario drivers need to know

Even though most parking lots in Ontario are privately-owned, there are a number of important parking lot accident rules Ontario drivers need to be aware of if they want to keep themselves and others out of harm’s way.

Here are four of the most important parking lot accidents rules that Ontarians should know:

• Legally vs illegally parked cars: As a rule of thumb, you’re at-fault if you hit a car that is legally parked. However, you’re not at-fault if you accidentally hit a car that is illegally parked.
• Traffic signs: Traffic signs, like stop signs, apply in all parking lots in Ontario.
• Right of way: Drivers in the main thoroughfare have the right of way over drivers in the feeder lanes.
• Pulling out of parking spots: If you’re pulling out of a parking spot and an oncoming vehicle starts to approach you, you need to yield until they’ve safely passed.

Will your insurance rates go up if you get into a parking lot accident in Ontario?

Yes, if you’re deemed at-fault for the accident, you will most likely see an increase in your car insurance rates. So, if you’d like to maintain your cheap car insurance rates, you should do everything that you can to avoid getting into parking lot accidents (and all other types of car accidents, for that matter!).

There is an old-wives tale that all parking lot accidents are 50/50 fault. This absolutely is not true. The fault rules of the road apply to parking lots as well. Hit someone in the rear, you’re at fault. Someone pulls out in front of you and you hit them in the side, they’re at fault. Backing up? You’re always at fault.

Additionally, if you’ve been searching for affordable car insurance quotes, you should consider teaming up with an online insurance brokerage like Surex!

Save up to 25% when you bundle with Surex

Most drivers don’t want to settle for the first car insurance quote that they get; however, many drivers don’t have the time to call every car insurance company that services their areas. That’s where Surex comes in!

At Surex, we provide policyholders with a one-stop-shop solution to finding and comparing car insurance quotes. We can help you find and compare cheap car insurance quotes in ten minutes or less.

Not to mention, when you bundle multiple insurance policies with one of our providers, like CAA Insurance, you can save up to 25% on your premium!

Contact us today to learn more.