Survey: Consumers fear retail parking lots after dark
Retail center owners and operators have room for improvement when it comes to parking lot safety.
According to a new survey from LiveView Technologies (LVT), more than half (52%) of American women, along with 41% of men, would avoid large, open-air retail parking lots after dark due to personal safety concerns.
Women aged 65 and up (63%) are more likely than those aged 18-64 (48%) to avoid these areas, while men aged 65 and up (47%) said they would avoid them. Nighttime avoidance is higher among those living in the Midwest (52%) compared to those in the Northeast (43%) and West (42%), while 77% of Americans living in the South shared potential nighttime avoidance.
[READ MORE: NRF: Shoplifting declines but fraud schemes evolve]
Potential daytime parking lot safety concerns are higher among women aged 18-34 (34%) than those aged 35 and up (22%) and men of the same age (19%). Three-in-10 Gen Z (ages 18-29) respondents and 19% of all other generations said they would feel very or somewhat unsafe in large open-air retail parking lots during the day.
LVT found that men and women expressed near equal levels of agreement (34% and 33%, respectively) that these spaces need increased security at any time of day.
“Men and women alike are concerned about their safety in parking lots, especially after dark, which could impact overall store foot traffic and sales,” said Matt Kelley, senior VP of business and market development at LVT. “Retailers can better secure parking lots and increase the sense of safety by ensuring optimal lighting, establishing visibility with human guards or through video security solutions, and offering assistance to customers who may appreciate a store associate accompanying them to their vehicle. Proactive communication around a store’s safety efforts can help alleviate shopper fears around safety at all hours.”
When it comes to safety solutions for public areas, 84% of those surveyed said the presence of a highly visible security camera would increase their sense of safety when visiting a public place at night they would otherwise avoid. More than half (54%) believe cameras should be highly visible and clearly announced to maximize public awareness.
LVT’s survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll from March 23-25, 2026, among 2,089 adults ages 18 and older.
