Parking Garage Entrances - A Death Trap Liability?

There have been two deaths at parking exits and entrances in the GTA recently.  The most recent one at a hospital in York Region on Christmas day, killing a young mother of 3.

Earlier in the year another man died while trying to enter his apartment's underground parking entrance.

In both instances the drivers could not reach or had trouble getting to the device to open the gate or the garage door, opened their door and leaned out, but the vehicles moved forward and pinned them in their car door pushed up against the protective bollards around the parking equipment.

Likely, they never put their vehicles in park and their foot slipped off the brake.

Almost all parking garage and lot exits or entrances have similar setups.  But with the difference in vehicle sizes from Vans and trucks to Smart Cars.....and the differences in the devices.....push a button, insert a card, or even proximity card devices all may lead to being part of the problem.

No word on any lawsuit or insurance claim for the dead mother yet.

If you have an entrance or exit like this, at minimum consider getting up signage that tells people not to exit their vehicle to access the devices and if they must to ensure the vehicle is placed in park.

These are terrible tragedies .....but also potential liabilities for property owners.