The clock is ticking down to the biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday!
While many shoppers are writing out lists and planning their shopping strategy others are scheming on how to steal your newly purchased gifts. Gulf Coast Educators Insurance offers some auto safety tips during this holiday season:
• Park in well-lit areas
• Lock all of your doors and windows
• Place your newly purchased items in the trunk. If an item needs to go on a seat then make sure it is covered
• Don’t overload yourself with bags
• Be aware of your surroundings. Have your keys ready to open the door and don’t linger in your car after loading it.
• If you are dropping items in your car and then going back shopping, consider moving your car to a new location. Many thieves watch and simply break the windows on your car to retrieve the loot once you are back shopping.
Of course, there are also dangers while driving during Black Friday. Quite a few shoppers have been up for an extended period of time and are operating on minimal sleep. Tiredness and sleep deprivation can cause people to drive erratically. Don’t let the stress and exhaustion of the holiday get to you.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) found that 179.8 million unique people shopped on Black Friday. That is a lot of cars on the road and in the parking lots! Accidents happen because people are in a rush to get to the next bargain. Slow down and follow the speed limit. Eliminate distractions such as texting and talking on the phone while you are driving. Be on the lookout for pedestrians. People are rushing out of their cars to buy their gifts and often don’t use walkways. Shoppers have been known to dart in between cars and in front of traffic in order to get the deals. You don’t want to spend your shopping time involved in an accident.
When you are leaving the store be careful backing up. Many accidents occur when people back into another car. Make sure that you double-check so that no one backs into your car. Your car could also be hit by another car while it is parked in the parking lot.
Gulf Coast Educators Insurance wants you to be safe during Black Friday and during all of your holiday shopping. Follow the tips above. If you do end up having an accident, then report it to the police and your insurance company.