Parking lot accident statistics
Studies show that low speed parking collisions are primarily caused by drivers who are daydreaming and/or distracted by their cell phones. Insurance companies cite the National Safety Council report that documents more than 50,000 automobile crashes occur each year in parking lots and structures, resulting in more than 500 deaths and 60,000 injuries. In fact, the US government has mandated that by May, 2018, all new passenger vehicles be equipped with rearview safety systems, better known as backup cameras….
Parking your classic sports car
Owners of vintage sports cars can reduce the chance of parking lot accidents by exercising common sense when parking their classic ride around larger cars, pickup trucks and sports utility vehicles. This classic 1970s era MG Midget sports car is dwarfed by two of the #3 ranked best selling passenger vehicles in the US. The Ram 3500 pickup on the right is about 20′ long, while the MG is about 11.5′ long. Insurance companies could see a reduction of claims…
Small car parking lot strategy
Parking lot accidents could be greatly reduced if drivers of small cars would simply remember to stick the car’s BUTT OUT so that its rear bumper is more-or-less aligned with the rear bumpers of adjacent larger cars, SUVs and pickups. The increased visibility of the parked small car to drivers in the traffic lane reduces the chance of someone attempting to enter what is perceived to be a vacant space. It’s also safer for the small car to back into…
Motorcycles need to BUTT OUT PARK
The well publicized slogan “Watch for motorcycles” applies to parking lots, too. In this lot (and in many locales across the US) motorists practice a “pull through” parking method. So rather than BUTT OUT, motorcycles and other short vehicles need to BUTT FORWARD. Here’s what we all want to avoid: The State of Colorado recently launched a new motorcycle awareness program warning motorists to look for motorcycles in unexpected places. Let’s hope that, someday, BUTT OUT will become a popular…
“American Dad” looks for parking space [video]
![“American Dad” looks for parking space [video]](http://www.buttoutparking.com/wp-content/uploads/stan-parking-e1512235687754-220x124.png)
Here’s a video excerpt from the American Dad! animated television sitcom where Stan thinks he found a parking space, but instead encounters a small car which did not BUTT OUT. Credit: American Dad!, Season 1, episode 18
How far to BUTT OUT when parking?
The maximum BUTT OUT position is the rear of the parking space. This is preferable when there are adjacent cars to your small car. But remember to use common sense when parking. Most of the time, it’s better to position a small car relative to the adjacent cars rather than exactly where the painted stripe ends. If there are no adjacent cars, a partial BUTT OUT of about 2-3 feet is appropriate. When other cars arrive, it will look…
What is Butt Out Parking?
It’s when smart drivers keep their small cars visible to others by not pulling all the way into a parking space. Like this red car: Lining up the rear — or BUTT — of a short car with nearby vehicles can prevent accidents in parking lots, where a large number of fender benders occur. Help spread the word about this new term for a commonsense parking method to drivers of MINI Cooper, Smartcar, Fiat, Spark, Miata and classic cars like…