Parking lot striping is the process of creating clearly marked lines on a parking lot surface to create designated parking spaces and traffic flow patterns. This is typically done with paint or thermoplastic materials. Striping can include lines for parking spaces, handicapped spaces, fire lanes, crosswalks, stop bars, arrows, and other traffic guidance markings. The purpose of parking lot striping is to increase safety, improve traffic flow, and optimize the use of the parking lot space. It is often done as part of regular parking lot maintenance and is typically required by local building codes and regulations. In addition to standard striping, certain businesses may also require specific markings, such as handicap spots, directional arrows and loading zones.