Parking lots are rarely thought of as dangerous environments. Yet in this case, a routine pedestrian crossing ended in tragedy.
An individual was walking across the drive aisle between a public gym and the adjacent parking lot when they were struck by a slow‑moving vehicle. The collision proved fatal.
Although the site included marked crosswalks at multiple locations, there were no traffic control measures directing vehicle behavior. No stop signs, stop lines, yield signs, or pedestrian crossing signage were present—nor was there any indication that vehicles were required to stop or yield to pedestrians using the crosswalks.
Knott Laboratory’s Transportation Engineering Manager, Collin Hurler, P.E., RSP1, conducted a detailed roadway design analysis of the site. His evaluation identified a striking number of conflict points throughout the parking lot layout.
A conflict point is a location where the paths of two or more road users intersect, cross, merge, or diverge—each representing a potential location for a collision. In this case, the analysis identified 45 distinct conflict points (as illustrated in the accompanying figure).
While the parking lot layout did not violate applicable codes, the analysis demonstrated that the site presented significant safety concerns. These risks could have been mitigated through relatively simple measures, such as the addition of appropriate traffic control signage and clearer vehicle guidance. Our findings helped establish these safety issues and contributed to a strong settlement for the pedestrian’s family.
