High density, insufficient lighting, tight traffic patterns and the always-unpredictable vehicle operator can lead to structural damage in parking lots. While some problems, like fender benders, can be caused to other cars, damage can also be caused to the facility itself through dents, scratches and material deterioration.

However, routine maintenance and a proactive risk management approach to protecting parking facilities can go a long way toward ensuring their continued safe use and long-term durability.

Parking structures come in all shapes and sizes. They can be single-use structures constructed with the sole purpose of parking vehicles, or they can be a part of other structures, such as high-rise condominiums, retail shops or commercial offices. They can also be repurposed facilities not originally intended for parking.

Tighter spaces increase the potential for more collisions. Today it’s not unusual to see parking spaces crammed next to pillars and posts where they wouldn’t have been decades ago. Repeated impacts from cars over a long period of time cause damage and deterioration. That damage is a major expense for the owner of a parking facility in terms of both column repair and claims costs.

In recent years, new solutions have cut costs by mitigating the damage caused by vehicle collisions. In many cases, a thin layer of protective material is wrapped around the column, softening any impact and reducing or eliminating damage.

The best-in-class preventive solutions for parking garages are molded products made of impact-resistant polypropylene material. This protective layer covers the ‘splash zone’ on each column, protecting it from water and salt, which can lead to corrosion, spalling, stress on the concrete and eventual structural damage.

Structural maintenance costs may be high in the short term, but it can be much less expensive than a complete structural replacement in the long run.

Preventive measures also include improved lighting that enhances visibility and eliminates dark spots. Installing clear, highly visible striping to define specific parking spaces and other important areas can reduce risk and help prevent drivers from dinging each other and the building itself. Finally, cameras installed throughout the facility can allow staff to supervise activity, and thereby promote safety for both pedestrians and drivers.

A comprehensive maintenance program for parking facilities can serve to prolong the life of these structures, improve their safety and quality, and reduce repair costs and insurance claims faced by their owners.

MJ Thomas, APR, is currently the manager of marketing and public relations at Sentry Protection Products in Lakewood, OH. Sentry manufactures and markets impact resistant equipment for industrial applications.