Taking a mini vacation in the city is a fun experience for your whole family. Whether you cruise to Milwaukee or Minneapolis, Chicago or New York, cities have endless opportunities for activities for everyone. Shopping, restaurants, museums, site seeing; the options are plentiful.
One hassle of visiting the city is parking. Street parking can be limited and meters are expensive, while parking garages have dangers of their own. Parking garages rank second for locations where violent crime occurs, right after residential property. Dim lighting and plenty of hiding places allow for criminals to easily commit violent acts. Luckily, there are several steps you can take to stay safe in a parking garage.
- Try to park near entrances and/or in well-lit areas. Identify all entrances and exits and determine which exit is closest to you should you need to quickly get out.
- Always lock your doors, roll up all your windows, close your sunroof, and DO NOT leave any valuables in your car. If you absolutely need to leave something important in your car, put it in the trunk.
- Have your keys in your hand before walking to your car and be very aware of your surroundings. Distracting activities such as looking for your keys or talking on a cell phone increases your risk for attack.
- Don’t be intimidated to use security. If you feel uncomfortable walking to your car, ask a security guard to escort you. Report any suspicious activity to security. Consider carrying pepper spray or Mace with you; you can purchase these in most major stores or online.
It is better to be safe than sorry when using a parking garage. Do whatever you need to do in order to feel safe, even if that means avoiding parking garages altogether. Always make sure to contact your Wisconsin insurance agency right away if you need to file a claim after parking in a parking garage. Your experienced agent will be able to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have.
-Sam