How Can I Make My Asphalt Parking Lot Safe?
Whether you work for a property management firm or own the business, the condition of your parking lot can either attract or repel customers or tenants. People want to feel safe while they are on your property, and they also want to feel confident that their vehicles will not be damaged. Making your parking lot safer can benefit your visitors, but it can benefit you as well. By reducing the number of accidents, you could reduce your potential liabilities. Fortunately, it does not need to be time-consuming or expensive to enhance your parking lot safety.
How Can I Make My Asphalt Parking Lot Safe?
What Are the First Steps for Improving Parking Lot Safety?
A safe parking lot begins with a proactive parking lot maintenance program administered by a reputable professional. Proper maintenance prolongs the life of asphalt paving, but it also makes the area safer. Potholes, large cracks, and poor traction can cause pedestrians to fall, inflict damage on vehicles, or cause drivers to lose control of their cars. There are four things that an effective asphalt maintenance plan should include.
1. The parking lot should be thoroughly inspected at least once every year. The purpose of the inspection is to identify any areas of damage, signs of poor drainage, or violations of local codes or federal laws. During the inspection, your contractor may recommend changes to your layout to alleviate areas of heavy congestion or eliminate blind spots or points of conflict that could contribute to an accident.
2. Parking lot repair should be performed as soon as possible once defects appear. Ideally, you should have your contractor repair cracks and potholes every six months if your pavement is more than a few years old or has previously been neglected. Breaks in your pavement are safety hazards, and they will only get worse. As they worsen, cracks and potholes will also endanger the life of your pavement.
3. Asphalt sealcoating is an economical way to help prevent cracks from forming in your pavement. Sealcoating protects asphalt paving from damages inflicted by the sun and automotive fluids, but it also enhances traction. Furthermore, it restores the pavement’s color and makes markings and stripes more visible. Most parking lots in the Richmond area need fresh sealcoating applied about every two years.
4. Your parking lot striping and markings should guide drivers and pedestrians throughout your lot. Well-defined spaces encourage drivers to park properly, and pavement markings help drivers and pedestrians navigate your parking lot safely. Other pavement or curb markings can identify no-parking areas, including fire lanes and loading zones, crosswalks, one-way and two-way traffic aisles, and spaces designated for accessible parking.
What Are Some Upgrades to Consider for Making a Parking Lot Safer?
If your budget allows, there are some upgrades that you might want to consider to enhance the safety of your parking lot.
1. Speed bumps can help enforce the speed limits in your parking lot by discouraging drivers from racing through your lot.
2. Properly installed lighting can help eliminate shadows and dark areas that can encourage criminal activity.
3. Surveillance cameras can deter criminals, but the recordings they provide can be invaluable if there is ever a question of fault in an accident or you need to defend yourself in a lawsuit.
4. Elevated islands placed at the ends of the parking lanes can prevent drivers from parking there and obstructing the vision of pedestrians and drivers.
For the high-quality maintenance services for asphalt paving Richmond businesses need, contact the experts at US Asphalt Maintenance. We have been serving clients in the region for more than 35 years and have built an exemplary reputation for workmanship and customer service. Our services include sealcoating, crack repair, and parking lot striping and marking. We can tailor a pavement management program to make it easier for you to ensure that no parking lot maintenance task is ever overlooked. You can use our online form or call 804-625-7325 to request a free quote.