A career as a truck driver is a rewarding one, albeit one with plenty of dangers. Trucks are crucial to the local economy and supply chain. They keep the supermarket shelves full and help transport important raw materials required for large-scale manufacturing.
But truck drivers do have their flaws. A Forbes Advisor article states that there were over 500,000 large truck accidents in 2021. More than half a million truck accidents in a single year call for serious reforms.
Reforms aside, victims of truck accidents should stand up for their rights. Trucks are not small vehicles, and there are increased chances of catastrophic injuries in collisions involving trucks. Victims should hire an experienced truck accident lawyer to handle their case. Given below are the benefits of hiring a truck accident lawyer:
- Understanding your rights
- Determining liability
- Calculating compensation
- Handling insurance adjusters
- Negotiating with the at-fault party’s insurance company
- Representation in court, if required
An experienced lawyer is very beneficial to a truck accident case. But there are a few things that you, as a driver, can do to avoid truck accidents. They are listed below.
- Don’t stay in a truck’s blind spot
- Maintain a four-second distance between you and the truck
- Avoid passing on the right-hand side of the truck
- Avoid passing a truck when driving uphill or downhill
- Pay extra attention when trucks turn
- Use signals when necessary
Among the points mentioned above, we’ll be talking about the blind spots in a truck.
Blind Spots in Trucks
As the name goes, blind spots are the areas around the truck where other drivers are not visible to the truck driver.
As trucks are huge vehicles, it is pretty easy to end up in the truck’s blind spot.
The blind spot of an average truck extends to 20 feet in front of them and 30 feet behind them. The blind spot of a truck also varies on the side.
From the driver’s side, the blind spot goes for one lane from the rear-view mirror up until the middle of the trailer.
As for the passenger’s side, the blind spot spreads across two lanes.
Additionally, the truck driver will have a hard time spotting vehicles in front of the cab. Some trucks even come with mirrors outside the windshield, pointing downward to help the driver identify any vehicles that might be in front of the truck.
Why Are Blind Spots Deadly?
As said before, trucks are huge vehicles. The driver has to put up with a lot, in addition to maneuvering the truck.
In the case of blind spots, the truck driver has to physically turn their body to check for vehicles. This is difficult, especially when traveling at high speeds on the highway. A truck driver having to change positions physically and having to take their eyes off the road every time they make a turn or switch lanes is almost impossible.
Driving in a truck’s blind spots is pretty risky. Car drivers run the risk of getting sideswiped when the truck switches lanes.
Also, cars that stay too close to the front may get rear-ended by the truck. And rear-end accidents with a truck are pretty devastating. The car driver at the receiving end may end up with a host of numerous serious injuries, like spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or fractures.
The condition of the driver also has a role to play in truck accidents. If the truck driver hasn’t been taking breaks for a while, the fatigue may contribute to blind spot accidents. The same applies to driving under the influence of alcohol or any prescription medicine as well.
What Next?
It is always a good idea to maintain a safe distance from the truck. Sticking to the rules of the road is essential for an accident-free trip.
However, if you do end up in a truck accident, it is important to take the necessary legal action. Get in touch with an experienced truck accident lawyer to understand more about your rights.
