Providing customers and employees with a functional parking lot is essential for business owners. Proper striping and direction in your parking lot design guarantee safety and order for individuals visiting your property. Implementing regular commercial paving services will help you maintain your parking areas and ensure all surfaces are kept in good condition. If you’re unsure of whether your parking lot is ready to be repainted, there are many tell-tale signs to look out for.
Damaged Wheel Stops
Wheel stops help increase safety in parking lots. You may begin to notice damage to your wheel stops if your parking lot stripes are fading. This occurs because individuals are unable to see the lines clearly, resulting in not stopping on time. Scuffs and chips can appear on wheel stops over time from being hit with car bumpers and when wheel stops go beneath the bumper of a car. If you’re noticing more frequent damage, it may be time to freshen up the striping as drivers are unsure of where an appropriate stopping point is.
Careless Parking is Becoming the New Norm
One of the first signs that your striping may be fading is haphazard parking. The lines in your parking lot are arranged to allow organized parking for the maximum number of people. Additionally, people leave room for cars next to them with correct striping and prevent car door scraps from occurring. If striping isn’t bright and noticeable, you may notice parking starting to get sloppy. Individuals may be parking at poor angles, taking up two spots, or over the center line if wheel stops aren’t incorporated.
Visitors Are Not Respecting Handicap Zones
Handicap spots are required in every parking lot as buildings need to be easily accessible by handicapped people without having to travel long distances. If you begin to notice that handicap spots are being misused, it is likely a sign that people are unable to make out the handicap symbol and don’t realize that they’ve parked in a reserved spot. The public usually is respectful of handicap-accessible parking spots, using them only in emergencies or quick visits. Keep in mind, it is required that individuals have a handicap tag when parking in these spaces and, if not, they can be ticketed by law enforcement.
Drivers are Cutting Across Parking Lanes Frequently
Many get frustrated in parking lots if individuals are driving disrespectfully or not paying attention to guidelines; proper etiquette is essential. The successful flow of a parking lot is reliant on bright striping, and if they are unclear, drivers are unable to make out parking lanes and directions in your parking lot. Directions and parking lanes help avoid accidents and guarantee that all visitors know what everyone else is doing. In the early morning, late at night, or in rural areas, parking lane crossing should be almost nonexistent, so if you recognize dangerous driving during these times, it’s likely time to repaint.
Increased Fender-Benders
Parking lot lines and painted directions are there to show people where to go, but also to keep accidents from happening. With these directions, individuals are aware of where they need to be cautious, where to stop and wait, and much more. Everyone is held accountable and expected to follow the same standards since directions are clearly marked. If your lines and directions are fading, individuals will likely begin implementing driving skills that they think are best and situational awareness may be lacking. If you’ve been dealing with a heightened amount of accidents in your parking lot, it is likely visitors are unable to see direction clearly.
Visitors Parking Against the Design
Parking lots are designed to fit the maximum amount of people efficiently to avoid accidents and other incidents. If drivers are unable to see the lines, they won’t have proper direction as to where to park appropriately. Once you begin seeing unusual parking decisions, visitors are likely unsure of what the faded lines are telling them to do. Parking against a design can lead to accidents or more extreme situations as drivers may end up going the wrong way on a ramp, driving on the wrong side, or parking incorrectly.
Inclement Weather Affects Striping Visibility
If your parking lot striping and directions begin to fade, inclement weather such as frost or rain will make it hard to see, meaning many of the previous issues will likely occur. Parking lot striping and direction are applied with bright and bold colors so they can be visible during hindering weather conditions. Driving lanes, spots, crosswalk areas, and any routes should always be clear to maintain proper parking lot flow and avoid any accidents or confusion.
Asphalt Surface is Showing Wear and Tear
Proper parking lot maintenance is essential to ensure striping and signage are visible. Over time, the top layer of asphalt wears away, meaning direction isn’t visible to visitors and could be misleading. If crumbling isn’t taken care of appropriately, it could lead to accidents and much more significant issues. Depending on the severity of crumbling occurring, it may be necessary to start with asphalt resurfacing before restriping a parking lot.
Years Have Passed Since Last Striping
It’s encouraged to keep an eye on the appearance of your parking lot regularly. Over time, striping tends to chip and fade, making it difficult for visitors to correctly and safely park their vehicles. Striping should be freshened annually, but it’s often something business owners don’t think about or forget. A general guideline is if your parking lot hasn’t been restriped in five years, it’s time to contact your commercial paving professional to schedule maintenance.
Lines Are Nonexistent
While this may seem obvious, a very apparent way to determine whether it’s time to repaint your parking lot is checking to see if you can see the lines. When checking your parking lot, try to pretend that you’re visiting the location for the first time and not like you visit the parking lot daily. Use your best judgment, if the lines are difficult to see and faded, it’s time to start thinking about getting your parking lot repainted.
Final Thoughts
Parking lots experience wear and tear over the years, especially if your property is frequently visited. Staying aware of how visitors park will provide you with a clear representation of whether it’s time to repaint your parking lot. Complete regular checks to see how you interpret the striping and directions is incredibly helpful, as well as keeping track of when the parking lot is repainted. If you’re unsure of where, to begin with repainting your parking lot, choosing a commercial paving partner is your first step.