Growing vehicles and shrinking parking spots don’t mix too well all the time. Did you know that almost 50 percent of B.C car crashes actually happen inside parking lots? Just when you thought your car was safe – it wasn’t.

 

Now that’s a big concern for car owners. It’s stated that in the year 2013, approximately 83,000 cars were damaged while sitting there parked or in parking lots. That’s 23 percent more than the total parked car accidents 15 years ago.

 

Experts say that they believe that this is all due to the number of bigger cars and smaller parking lots that are being created as time progresses. In places like Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, these parking lot crashes make up about half of all of the accidents in those areas.

 

But why? Although some cities state that the minimum sizes of their parking stalls haven’t changed, many other developers have taken this as an incentive to stick to building just the bare minimum.

 

Let’s take a look at this, for instance: “Canada Place opened in 1986 for Expo. CTV News measured its stall sizes – they are about 8 feet, 5 inches wide, or about 2.56 meters.” However, there is also the Convention Centre West Building, which opened up in the year 2009 and it has smaller lots. The parking spaces were measured at just a couple inches less – 8 feet, 3 inches wide. That’s acceptable in Vancouver.  It may not sound like much, but it actually does make a difference.

 

Don’t forget that the cars are getting bigger too. Did you know that light trucks actually make up about half of the US market? Look at Ford, for example: it’s a top selling truck and its Ford F-150’s 2015 model is now 6.19 meters by 2.46 meters, 23 percent bigger in width and 14 percent bigger in length since 1991. It’s actually the exact width or a Vancouver parking space, except that it is approximately 70 centimeters longer.

 

You see where we’re going with this? That’s why you need to be really cautious and selective about where you place your vehicle. Our services can be really helpful to you. If you are looking for Ottawa parking for your car and monthly parking passes then give us a call to discuss the various Ottawa parking options, parking lots and parking spaces we have available. We have affordable monthly parking passes all across the city so you can be close to work and avoid parking tickets in Ottawa with the peace of mind, knowing that your car is safe while parked in your monthly parking space in Ottawa.