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Do you have a shop on the high street? Being in a high street location puts your business and property at more risk of accidental damage from errant vehicles. Although it may seem rare, cars crashing into buildings occur daily worldwide.
According to the Storefront Safety Council, storefront crashes happen more than 100 times per day globally. The data was validated by Lloyd’s of London, the world’s leading insurance marketplace based in the UK.
Storefront car crashes often occur when a driver enters or leaves a parking space straight up against the building. Drivers usually operate their vehicles at relatively low speeds in these situations. Even so, a car smashing into your premises can still result in serious injury, property damage, and death.
No matter the location of your property, dangerous driving can cause devastating storefront vehicle accidents. But how likely your business will suffer from this type of car crash depends on several factors. While some are outside your control, there are things you can do to minimise your risks.
Having the right preventative measures are crucial in keeping your premises safe from potential mishaps. Below we’ve highlighted a few tips to help you protect your property from storefront crashes.
Assess Your Storefront Security Risk
Security risks can take many forms, and vehicles crashing into your business property are just one. Like any potential threats, analysing your exposure risks is an excellent step to improving the safety of your premises from intruding vehicles and traffic accidents.
Here are some questions you may want to consider when assessing your storefront security risk:
- Is your property a safe distance away from other establishments?
- What is the speed limit near your premises?
- Do standard traffic patterns around your location increase the chances of vehicular accidents?
- Is the street where your property is located difficult to manoeuvre?
Taking these factors into account can help you prevent negligence. Based on your security risk assessments, you can create a safer and more responsible space for everyone involved.
Secure the Perimeter With Adequate Barriers
A driver may suddenly lose control of a vehicle, smashing it into a storefront or pedestrian area. Of course, you don’t have control over how individuals operate their cars. But with adequate barriers, you can prevent possible crashes or keep their impact at a minimum.
Security barriers can serve as good visual reminders for motorists to remain in their corresponding spaces and pedestrians in theirs. If any vehicle unexpectedly veers off course, barriers can help slow or stop them from hitting pedestrians or your building.
There are numerous options for security barriers, but there’s no one best way to implement them. You can install them along pavements, your waiting pedestrian entryways, or your parking space.
Depending on your specific needs, the following are some barriers you can use to secure the perimeter of your property.
- Thick bollards
- Heavy concrete planters and benches
- Wheel stops
- Bars and gates
Evaluate the Design of Your Parking Area
Unless adequate devices are installed, head-in parking spaces facing the building increase the likelihood of storefront crashes. Pedal error is one of the most common reasons behind this type of vehicular accident.
You can decrease the odds of someone driving through your property by evaluating your parking area design. If possible, prohibit parking directly toward the building entrance. Rearrange your parking spaces and point them away from people and buildings.
Wrapping Up
There’s no way to keep your property safe from storefront crashes a hundred percent. The risk is always there despite every method of prevention.
But these measures are a powerful first step to protect pedestrians, your business, and your property from injuries and damage due to vehicle impact. Seeking legal help as early as now is also a great idea to protect your rights when you get involved in storefront vehicular accidents.
