Blind Spots Causing Large Truck Accidents

Although many motorists are courteous, some people don't understand the fact that big-rigs need more room to speed up, slow down, and turn than regular vehicles. Most of the time, truck drivers are able to avoid serious accidents by watching out for other vehicles and paying attention to the road far ahead of them. However, accident avoidance isn't completely in the hands of truck drivers; there are a variety of safety tips and tricks that motorists should recognize, too.

Big rigs have extremely large blind spots, also known as "no zones."

No zones are areas where the truck driver cannot see if another vehicle is present. Blind spot crashes involving commercial trucks can lead to serious and even fatal injuries if a car is crushed or forced off the road or strikes other vehicles at a high speed. In most cases, the occupants of the smaller vehicles suffer the brunt of the injuries in crashes involving large trucks.

Passenger Vehicles Should Pass Tractor-Trailers with Caution!

Driving a tractor-trailer is much different than driving a typical passenger vehicle. The sheer size of large trucks creates large blind spots on both sides of the vehicle that makes it difficult for their drivers to see passenger cars. Generally speaking, if you can't see a truck driver's face in his side view mirror, he or she can't see you either. If the driver of an 80,000 pound 18-wheeler decides to change lanes, you could be the one getting seriously injured if you're in a blind spot.

The following is an explanation of the three main blind spots for big rigs:

• Side – Blind spots for trucks are notoriously worse on sides. The blind spot on the right side of a truck can be the entire length of the trailer and extend into three separate lanes. Due to this massive blind spot, motorists are encouraged to always pass trucks on their left. While there is still a blind spot, drivers are trained to expect passing motorists there.
• Front – Truckers sit in elevated cabs, which can make it difficult for them to see vehicles immediately in front of them. In fact, if a car gets too close to them, the hood of the truck may block them from view entirely. This blind spot is usually 20 feet long. Merging directly in front of a truck, as many drivers do, may put them at serious risk for a deadly collision.
• Rear – Rearview mirrors are essentially useless in trucks. When motorists follow too closely, it can be impossible for the trucker to notice them. It is therefore critical to stay far enough behind so the driver can see you in side-view mirrors. If you can, stay as far behind as 25 car lengths. That's equivalent to roughly a little over a football field's worth of distance.

Get Help from an Experienced Trucking Accident Attorney

Although truck drivers are aware of their blind spots, the fact that they have limited visibility increases the chances of a wreck. The stakes of being caught in blind spots are also far higher than with passenger vehicles: a wreck with an 18-wheeler is more likely to result in life-altering or fatal injuries. No matter the circumstances surrounding the collision, it's important to hold commercial truck drivers accountable for the accidents caused by their actions, when another motorist gets caught in a truck blind spot or "no-zone."

If you have suffered a serious injury or the loss of a loved one, you should contact an experienced truck accident attorney as soon as possible to understand your legal rights. Just as you are when driving in a truck's blind spot, you are at a disadvantage if you're talking to an insurance adjuster without legal representation.

We at Arnold & Itkin are experienced trial lawyers and aggressive advocates for our clients. We have taken on some of biggest trucking companies in America on behalf of the injured and won. Our firm believes in holding negligent truck drivers and trucking companies accountable and has a track record to prove it. Our law firm secured billions of dollars on behalf of our clients.

To find out how we can help you, feel free to call for a confidential consultation.