Black Friday drivers, beware: Parking lot accidents increase today Shoppers showed up in force for Black Friday bargains at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, where the parking lot was filled by 7 a.m. Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times By Laura J. Nelson November 23, 2012, 9:32 a.m. On Black Friday, shopping carts aren't the only collision shoppers should worry about. Insurance company Progressive Corp. said that Black Friday is one of the worst days of the year for parking-related accidents. On the day after Thanksgiving last year, claims from parking-related accidents increased 37% when compared with other Fridays, the company said. A year before, claims were up 17%. About 13% of Black Friday insurance claims were related to rear-end collisions, 11% from collisions with parked cars and 8% from drivers backing into another vehicle. Drivers should proceed more slowly than usual and use passengers in the car as extra eyes and ears, said Maria Cashy of the Progressive claims department in a statement. "Protecting your car can be as easy as parking it a little further back in the parking lot, away from the commotion of the store," Cashy said. That extra 100 feet could save your car some serious damage. Roughly 147 million people will visit stores this weekend, according to National Retail Federation data. Many will be looking for a place to park. Black Friday: Store and mall opening hours Early Black Friday openings paying off? Retailers say yes