Parking lot dangers increase during holiday shopping season

TUCSON, Ariz. - As the holiday shopping season gets well underway, parking lot dangers increase, according to the National Safety Council.

Every year, tens of thousands of crashes take place at parking lots, many of them resulting in injury, others in death.

The National Safety Council found 66 percent of drivers make phone calls while they're driving in parking lots.

They also found 63 percent use GPS systems when they're in lots, 56 percent text, 52 percent use social media, 50 percent send or receive emails, and 49 percent take or watch videos.

The National Safety Council added that during the holiday season, drivers are even more distracted.

RELATED: Your guide to survive holiday travel

The council added the following tips could help make parking lots a whole lot safer.

• Stay in lanes and avoid cutting through parking spots

• Drive slowly and use directional signals

• Obey stop signs and no-parking signs

• When backing out, be mindful of vehicles and pedestrians

• Watch for small children and parents with baby strollers

The Tucson Police Department added being mindful in parking lots during the holiday season is important especially because law enforcement doesn't always respond to those types of incidents.

"Typically we don't respond to these calls unless there's an injury or there's extensive damage or an extenuating circumstance like someone's intoxicated," said Tucson Police Officer Ray Smith.

Officer Smith added making sure you're taking a few extra minutes to look at your surroundings is a huge help.

"People are walking to and from the stores with their children they have bags sometimes their children are running before them. Just take the extra time to look over both side, both shoulders, and when you're driving make sure to look out for vehicles backing out and the children that are going in and out of cars," said Officer Smith.