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Watch for distracted drivers, walkers in suburban mall parking lots

As you head off to the malls for your last-minute shopping, a word to the wise from the experts: Pay attention in the parking lot.

Insurance companies and suburban police report more accidents take place in mall parking lots this time of year, and a major factor is distraction - on the part of both drivers and pedestrians.

About 20 percent of all car accidents happen in parking lots, according to State Farm Insurance. And with this weekend expected to produce some of the largest crowds of the season, experts caution shoppers to take special care.

"It's not just the other drivers on their cellphones but pedestrians on their cellphones," said Vernon Hills police spokesman Kim Christianson. "How many times do you go to the mall parking lot and see people walking while on their cellphones? They're texting as they're walking right in front of cars."

Schaumburg police report an average of 1.5 accidents per day between Black Friday and Christmas Day at Woodfield Mall, compared to a one-accident-per-day average the rest of the year.

Oak Brook Police Chief Jim Kruger said there's no significant jump in accidents at Oabrook Center Mall during the holidays, but he noted that people tend not to call police if it's only a minor fender bender.

"What you usually see is two people backing out at the same time who don't see each other," he said. "They're going under 5 miles per hour."

Accidents increase slightly at Westfield Hawthorn Mall during the holidays, too - there have been four accident reports since Thanksgiving - but none have involved injuries, Christianson said.

"(People) tend to crash and clash more," said CarInsurance.com Managing Editor Michelle Megna. "People are distracted in mall parking lots. They're focused on what they have to get done that day. They can have a false sense of security because cars are going slower."

To minimize parking lot frustration during the holidays, most malls increase their valet service and hire extra people to direct traffic during peak hours.

But with all the traffic, parking lot rage can flare up. In those circumstances, a new survey says men are more likely than women to behave badly and hit things like shopping carts and people.

According to the survey from CarInsurance.com, more men have used "a hand gesture" (27 percent of men vs. 20 percent of women) or had a verbal confrontation with other drivers (20 vs. 12 percent) in a parking lot.

Men are also more likely to hit a pole (19 vs. 11 percent), a cart (12 vs. 5 percent), or a pedestrian (8 vs. 1 percent), the survey showed.

Even if you can avoid accidents, there's another thing to worry about: State Farm Insurance reports that thefts from autos are also highest at this time of year.

Police advise common-sense approaches, such as locking doors and not leaving items in plain view in the car.

Megna adds it's a good time to check with your car insurance provider and ask questions about your coverage, both for accidents and theft.

"You don't want to file a claim and then find out you have the wrong coverage," she said.

  Westfield Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills does not report significant accident increases at this time of year, but insurance companies and local police report more accidents take place in mall parking lots this time of year. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
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