A. Setting the parking brake.
B. Stopping in a legal, secure parking space.
C. Placing the gear selector in the park (P).
D. Turning off any accessories.
The answer is B: When securing the vehicle, the first task should be stopping in a legal, secure parking space. Here’s the explanation in details.
Introduction
Road safety is of utmost importance when driving a vehicle, as roads are a public convenience and multiple individuals use it. Road rules are there to protect drivers that are using the road as well as those who do not use the road.
Any injury or inconvenience caused by non-observance of safety procedures or ignorance of safety procedures may change lives in ways that cannot be reversed and may cause grief or loss to many involved.
Securing a vehicle being driven is a big part of road safety and driving rules. Parking or securing a vehicle means stopping and leaving it unoccupied. There are rules for it so that all follow it uniformly resulting in lesser conflicts or accidents.
The first task while securing a vehicle is stopping in a legal, secure, parking space. So that you can avoid conflicts in parking the vehicles.
A parking facility may be available in certain designated spots like a parking garage, parking lot or on the side of a street. Parking spots are determined based on the ease of manoeuvring, the safeguard of vehicles from potential damage in the absence of owners and the safety of drivers as well as pedestrians.
Each parking area has rules. For example, in the case of parking on the side of a street, drivers may have to pay some amount and are only allowed to park for a short period. This is done to ensure that people do not park on the street for long hours and affect the traffic flow.
Consequences of Illegal Parking
Parking illegally or in unsecured areas causes inconvenience to others and is a hazard too. Parking in a fire zone, on sidewalks or blocking a road are examples of illegal parking.
Obstruction in the flow of traffic, blockage of emergency exits, and accidents can result from illegal parking. Not to mention the hassle faced by other commuters by being stuck in traffic caused by inconsiderate vehicle owners.
Leaving your vehicle unattended in an illegal zone also increases the risk of theft and damage. Illegal parking leads to unpleasant events that cause annoyance, damage or injury.
Instances of illegal parking and the resulting scenarios
-Parking on a busy street will affect traffic flow, cause a blockage, damage the vehicle or accidents
-Securing the vehicle in a place that blocks an exit, emergency exit or a fire hydrant can lead to damage or loss of human life
-Parking on a blind turn will most likely cause accidents
-Parking your car on pedestrian or bicycle routes will force the users to move to the paths for cars and other heavy vehicles and increase the chances of injury
-Securing your vehicle on the intersection or a bus stop again is the case for the inconvenience of others because you need to be considerate of other people who are also travelling and using civic facilities
There are advantages to parking in a legal and secure area, like a parking lot. It is a designated spot for parking, and its reduces hassles or inconvenience to others. Not only that, it ensures the safety of your vehicle from damages caused by oncoming traffic.
Drivers can manoeuvre their vehicles into and out of a parking lot with relative ease. The area for parking ensures that traffic flow is unaffected, pedestrians are safe, and the public can use civic facilities without any hindrance.
Procedure for Securing the Vehicle
In order to secure a vehicle, drivers must be aware of the rules and have consideration for other people. The following procedures can be followed to ensure that your vehicle is secured legally and safely.
-Consider a safe parking zone and look for designated parking spots
-Make sure to check that the spot of your choosing has a time limit for parking or not. In case it does, you may want to check if you are within that time limit.
-Choose a legal spot and check if there are minimum parking distances required if you are parking near an intersection or an emergency freeway.
-Once in the designated area, set the parking brake. In case of manual transmission, put the vehicle in reverse or first gear. The gear must be in park mode for automatic transmission.
-Remove valuables from view, carry them with you or lock in the trunk. Your car is likely to be targeted for theft if you leave valuable items in plain view.
-Turn the engine off and remove your vehicle key. Do not leave the car running or the ignition key in the car.
-Check for any moving vehicles or pedestrian around before opening the door. Otherwise, there may be a mishap if a vehicle is driving by right when your door is opening.
-Secure your windows and doors, lock the car and take your keys with you.
-If you are parking at night, choose a well-lit area and do not park under trees during rains.
-When parking on a hill, remember to put the brakes and gear on.
Best Vehicle Security Tips
-Choose the parking spot on the basis of your parking ability. Not all of us can park well parallelly. So, if you want to park parallelly ensure you know how to do it right without damaging other cars or blocking the road.
-For parallel parking, stop a few meters ahead of the parked car. If the slot is between two parked cars, it may help if you stop right next to the car parked in front. After this use your rearview mirror and back slowly into the slot. Take your time doing this, as parking right is better than a parking ticket.
-In the case of perpendicular parking, reverse the car into the parking space so you can exit without any hassle.
-Be careful and watch out for animals, children or pedestrians while reversing. Do this slowly so any potential accident can be prevented.
-When parking in front of a mall or store, make sure that your spot is far from the trolley collection area and store exits.
Conclusion
Car accidents are among the leading causes of injuries and deaths, and we see so many traffic jams due to incorrect and illegal parking.
Driving on the road is more like a privilege, and you must be considerate of others around you. Be aware of the road rules and parking instructions. Always park in a secure and legal area as there are advantages to that.
Parking lots are made to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians. Rules and regulations are in place to make sure that daily commutes are not affected by delays, accidents or jams. We must adhere to them for our good and of others.
Be cautious and considerate for yourself as well as others so you can enjoy the commuting facilities as a civic society.
References
- Car Parking Guide – How to park your car correctly? Taken from autoportal.com
- Choosing a Parking Spot: Taken from drivinginstructorblog.com
- Parking Safety Tips: Taken from geotab.com
- Vehicle Securing Procedure: Taken from driversed.com