Most autos on the roads have blind spots. Large commercial vehicles, because of their size, however, have substantial areas of impeded vision for operators along all sides. When truckers cannot see those with whom they share the road, it sometimes increases the chances of potentially serious or deadly accidents.
Keeping the following tips in mind when traveling alongside tractor-trailers may help drivers avoid some blind spot trucking collisions.
Stay out of the blind spots
Also known as no-zones, the blind spots on large commercial trucks extend up to two lanes on the right side, one lane on the left side, 20 feet to the front and 30 feet to the rear. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, to help prevent some trucking crashes, drivers of vehicles on the roads with tractor-trailers should refrain from traveling in the no-zones. Instead, the administration advises motorists to move ahead or slow down, keeping their vehicles in areas where the truck operators can see them.
Look for the truck driver
When sharing the road with semi-trucks, people should look for the drivers of the large commercial trucks in the vehicles’ side mirrors. If motorists cannot see truckers, the truckers likely cannot see them. This may indicate they have entered a no-zone, which they should only travel in for as long as necessary.
Refrain from tailgating
The large rear blind spots that most tractor-trailers have make tailgating these vehicles particularly dangerous. According to the Kentucky Department of Transportation, traveling too close to the rear of large commercial trucks not only potentially removes drivers’ vehicles from the truckers’ visibility. It also takes away the ability of drivers to see the road in front of them. This may contribute to causing collisions as lacking visibility, motorists cannot make the necessary adjustments to hazards or traffic conditions to avoid some crashes.
When involved in trucking accidents, the drivers and passengers of the smaller vehicles may suffer serious injuries or death. Therefore, people who experience such situations may consider their options, such as pursuing the recovery of compensation for their injury-associated losses.
