What You Need to Know About a Truck Driver’s Blind Spots
I-75, I-85, and I-20 may be the principal highways Georgians think of when considering Georgia’s highways, but there is also I-16, I-95, and I-59 to keep in mind. Semi-trucks use all these routes and more when traveling through the state. Those trucks can be an immense problem for other drivers as, not only are they much larger and heavier, but they also have much wider blind spots that can be very dangerous for causing accidents to other vehicles.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, a truck’s blind spots are “areas larger than a passenger vehicle” that are the locations the driver of the truck cannot see. They are in the front of the truck, directly behind the truck, and on both sides.
The largest blind spot for a truck driver, however, is the blind spot on the right-hand side of the truck. This blind spot can extend for several lanes and make up nearly the entire length of the transport truck. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, it is the most dangerous place another vehicle can be, as it leaves them more at risk for getting into an accident with the truck and sustaining serious injuries as a result.
Of course, different factors will affect the size of a truck’s blind spots, such as the position of its side mirrors. But generally speaking, all trucks have blind spots on each of their sides. Truck drivers are responsible for knowing how to work with these blind spots, and how to check them to the best of their ability. But it is impossible for a truck driver to be able to see directly behind them or along the entire right-hand side of the truck. Therefore, it is vital drivers sharing the road with trucks be extra vigilant.
Blind spots, and the truck driver’s own negligence in failing to check them, are often at fault for a deadly truck accident. In the best-case scenario, the driver of the other vehicle will still suffer serious injuries, and this is a chance that is not worth taking. Other drivers will have to pass a truck from time to time, or travel directly in front or behind them. When they do, it is best they do so as quickly and safely as possible, so they can move out of the truck’s blind spot and do their part in ensuring everyone makes it to their destination safely.
If you have been in a serious accident due to a truck driver’s negligence, do not hesitate to reach out to a skilled accident lawyer from Warshauer Woodward Atkins today for your initial consultation.
