| "Go Slow and keep the radio low" |
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| ________________________________________________________________ Picture your average retail store parking lot. Just enough space between rows of parked cars, SUV's and trucks for your car to pass. You are driving literally just a few inches from what could be a disaster. However, after watching the "shopping cart 500" races for many years, it is obvious too many Moms and Dads are not aware that this "parking-lot-obstacle course" is a real-life DANGER ZONE!!! Remember Mom: A pregnant driver cannot afford a fender bender at any speed. The minute you hit the brakes your tummy starts heading towards the bottom of the steering wheel! One of my friends said that driving down the aisle of a parking lot reminds him of the obstacle course-shooting range he trained on in the Army. Targets would pop out from behind walls, doors, and trees. Instead of looking for targets, he looks at every parked car ahead of him for any signs of the "pop-up-hasty-no-look-backer-upper" driver who is likely to pull their car directly in front of him at any second. Maybe all of us Moms need to visit that shooting range to train for parking lot driving!! He is also looking for the tops of tiny heads, knowing they signal that a child is about to dart out in front of him. And speaking of "targets," just last week I was pushing my shopping cart back to the holding area and was almost run over by a woman who was rushing down the aisle at a high rate of speed. As I spoke a few words in anger (is there such a thing as "Parking lot rage"?) I could see that she was oblivious and never even saw me. Scary stuff. I was a target and she came close to scoring a bullseye! Ladies, please, we beg you not to be oblivious to the parking lot dangers that surround you, your infants and your toddlers. Here is one of those situations that freezes the blood in every one of us. Mom leaves the store and pushes her groceries in one hand, holds onto a child with her other hand, and let's the oldest child fend for herself, while heading to her car. Mom, please do yourself a favor. LEAVE THE DARN GROCERIES IN THE STORE, while you safely deliver your children to your vehicle. Afterward you can drive to the front door and retrieve your purchases. When it comes to the parking lot face off, your tiny flesh and blood children haven't got a chance against the 2-ton hulks of steel. Whether you are backing out of the parking spot or driving down the aisle, keep your radio low (off is better) to lessen distractions while also keeping your ears open for the sounds of people around your vehicle. If someone is screaming at you to stop backing into them, or blowing their horn, and you can't hear them because of the radio ...big problems could result. So BACK OUT SLOW and KEEP THE RADIO LOW. One important note about the AUTO INSURANCE. An agent friend of ours told us that regardless of how a parking lot accident occurs, NO ONE HAS THE PREVERBIAL RIGHT OF WAY. Thus, neither driver can be called the "one at fault." However, should you ever be brought into a law suit over the accident, the plaintiffs attorney's will darn sure convince the judge and jury that YOU WERE AT FAULT and should pay, pay, pay! SO DRIVE SAFELY thru the store parking lot --as you have a "lot" riding on the outcome! |
| After An Accident: "Recovery" There is Help Available! |
| When driving for two, down a parking lot aisle, go slow as the snail who just jogged a mile |
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When it comes to parking lots, Drive SLOWLY and Safely!! |
| Saf-T-Wise |
| Saf-T-Stork |
| PREGNANT MOM DANGER ZONE: The Parking Lot |
| Let's go shopping, Mom! |
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| CHILDREN AT RISK |
| MUSIC TO DIE BY |
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