Contributory negligence also plays a large role in many parking lot accident cases. These days, people tend to walk around while looking at their cellphones, which means they are not paying as close attention to their surroundings as they typically should be. A defendant could claim contributory negligence on behalf of the injured person to defend themselves in the case. If an individual is in an area like a parking lot, they should always be on the lookout for cars rather than distracted by their phone – otherwise, it could be used against them if an accident occurs.