This time of year, there’s a good chance you’re planning to head out to the mall. After all, you may very well have gifts to buy for loved ones naughty or nice.

As the season is often hectic, there’s a tendency among shoppers to think about their shopping before they enter the stores. In fact, the closer we get to the store, the more likely we are to feel distracted from our driving while contemplating just the right present for Aunt Susie or whether there’s something better than a necktie we can pickup for dad.

For some drivers, once they enter the mall’s parking lot, their driving is virtually on autopilot. In reality, the parking lot is a place where we’re best to heighten our senses. Pedestrians are often as distracted as drivers. That means, as we move through the aisles looking for a place close to the door, we need to keep an eye out for the person who walks into our path without looking, not to mention the driver who backs out of a spot unexpectedly.

Once we park, we join the ranks of the pedestrians. Now it’s our turn to watch out for distracted drivers.

“Even before you park, it’s a good idea to give some thought to where you’re parking,” said Denny Norton, owner of the Ringwood based Performance Unlimited auto repair shop. “Make sure you park somewhere you feel safe. It’s a good idea to make sure the area is well lighted. After all, moving vehicles aren’t the only potential threats in a parking lot.”

As if to accentuate that risk, recent reports tell of a new scam by carjackers. They’re purported to put a sheet of paper in the back window of a car. Drivers get in, start the car and then notice the paper. Leaving the car running, and the door open, they step out to remove the paper from the window. While out of the car, the carjacker, hidden nearby, jumps out of hiding and into the car.

Norton offered a few parking lot safety tips:

You may even want to invest in some pepper spray or a self-defense course. The point is that, with proper precautions, you can have a safe and happy shopping experience.