Ah, the holidays. A time for family, giving thanks and of course, shopping.

As the holiday shopping season officially kicks off this week for Black Friday, ICBC is asking drivers to prioritize safety over finding the perfect parking spot. About 150,000 crashes took place in parking lots last year resulting in 5,400 injuries.

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While most parking lot crashes happen at low speeds and only result in vehicle damage, dealing with the aftermath of a crash is the quickest way to turn anyone into a Grinch. ICBC receives hundreds of thousands of vehicle damage claims every year, with costs exceeding $1.5 billion.

Facts based on a sample of mall parking lots in B.C.:

An average of 200 crashes occurred at mall parking lots in 2017

Most crashes occur in December

Most crashes occur between 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Most crashes occur on a Friday or Saturday

Many believe driving in a parking lot is safer, but “drivers need to continue practicing their safe driving habits, even while travelling in parking lots” warns ICBC.

People are usually scrambling during the holiday season and should instead focus on good driving habits in any parking lot.

Drivers are encouraged to apply a bit of holiday cheer, be courteous and have a bit more patience during this time of year with these Drive Smart tips from ICBC:

The rules of the road still apply, even on private property

Have your car facing out in your parking spot

Park further away, if you can

Slow down and be on alert

Pay attention to the arrows and stop signs

Don’t block traffic

Don’t fight over a parking spot