52% of Women and 41% of Men Would Avoid Retail Parking Lots After Dark Due to Safety Concerns

New research from LVT and The Harris Poll found that 52% of women and 41% of men would avoid large, open-air retail parking lots after dark because of personal safety concerns. Even during daylight hours, 25% of women and 17% of men say they would feel unsafe in these locations, while one-third of Americans believe retail parking lots need increased security at any time of day. Visible security may help: 84% say a highly visible security camera would increase their sense of safety when visiting a public place at night that they might otherwise avoid.

The findings demonstrate that safety outside the store can directly influence whether consumers ever make it through the door. Retailers, shopping centers, restaurants and other businesses dependent on foot traffic can strengthen the customer experience by addressing lighting, security and other parking lot concerns—and communicating those efforts to shoppers.