One of the best ways to make sure everyone is safe is to steer clear of these four blind spots.
When driving on the road along with large trucks, most people assume it’s the truck driver who needs to show higher caution in order to avoid any accidents.
While it’s true truck driver have their fair share of responsibility when on the road, passenger vehicles also have a great role to play. Often, it is the caution of the passenger car that prevents an unfortunate collision in these cases.
One of the best ways to make sure everyone is safe is to steer clear of the four blind spots of a truck.
What Are the Blind Spots?
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there are 4 major blind spots passenger cars should never drive near:
1. Directly in Front – because the truck driver is higher, they won’t be able to see any vehicle that is driving too close in front of them. Because of that, it’s safer to keep your distance.
2. Directly Behind – the same principle goes for driving too closely behind the truck.
3. Along the Left Side – if you are driving
4. Along the Right side – this is often the most dangerous blind spot area out of all. It’s best to avoid driving on the right side of the truck altogether.
A good way to keep safe when driving on the same road of the truck is to assume that if you don’t see the truck in your vehicle side mirror, then the truck driver can’t see you either.
What to Do If You Enter a Blind Spot
If you somehow enter a truck’s blind spot, it’s important not to keep driving in it. Using good judgment, slow down or move ahead to come into the truck driver’s line of sight.
Always make sure you see the truck driver in your vehicle mirrors before signaling to switch lanes. Unless you do, it’s possible the truck driver won’t even see your vehicle signal, and that can increase the chances of an auto accident.
You also need to be even more cautious than you’d normally be with other passenger cars when taking any actions on the road – switching lanes, moving forward, trying to pull over, etc. These practices can make sure you and the passengers of your vehicle stay safe.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
Regardless of how cautious you are, car accidents still happen. If you’ve been in an accident with a truck driver, please reach out to a St. Louis car accident lawyer as soon as possible to see what your legal options are. Give us a call 24/7 at (314) 361-4242 for a FREE case evaluation.