We've given you the warnings before: as you're doing your holiday shopping, don't be on your phone while in the parking lot. It's about safety. Watch your surroundings as you walk and as you're putting your bags in the trunk.
But now, it's not just about being off the phone outside the car. But as you get in, you'll need to remember to stay off the phone too. There's more danger to being on the phone in the parking lot than most people think.
The National Safety Council finds as many as two-thirds of drivers may be pulling into shopping centers distracted. One in five accidents happen in parking lots. Video captured the moment a speeding driver struck a mother pushing her 15-month-old baby’s stroller last month. Maria Cruz Gonzales-Cortes, 24, died. Her baby survived. Wisconsin police released a video of a driver who lost control of his vehicle, slamming into nine cars before coming to a stop. Amazingly no one was seriously injured.
The NSC found on average at least 60,000 people are injured and 500 or more die in the 50,000 plus crashes in parking lots and garages every year.
The NSC president Deborah Hersman said, "I think people take it for granted because things are slow moving."
People may drive slower, but that doesn't mean parking lots are safer. The NSC report found a leading cause is distracted driving.
Their study found 66% of drivers said they felt comfortable making calls while driving in a parking lot. 56% would text while behind the wheel in the parking lot. About half would send emails, use social media, take pictures or watch videos. 42% said they would video chat -- while behind the wheel!
Remember, texting while driving is illegal in North Carolina. And all those other things are extremely dangerous.
The safety warning still applies to pedestrians. “People have their heads down, they’re on their phones whether they’re behind the wheel or whether they are pedestrians. They’re just a lot of inattention out there,” Hersman added.
2 Wants to Know found a sign that put it simply: 'Get your head out of your apps' while in parking lots this holiday season.
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