(Newswire.net — May 24, 2022) — Huge semi-trucks are on roads every day and share them with regular passenger vehicles. They often travel long distances as truckers are required to pick up and make deliveries to various locations. Alabama is no exception, as trucks constantly travel in the cities and on the states’ roads.
While you’re sharing the road with these huge vehicles, staying diligent and safe is essential. One of the best ways is to know the risks and understand that commercial trucks have several blind spots, making it difficult or even impossible for the driver to see you around those areas. Avoiding those blind spots is the best way to stay safe while sharing the road with a semi-truck.
Where are a Truck’s Blind Spots Located?
Semi-trucks have four distinct blind spots. These areas make it more difficult for the driver to see other, smaller vehicles on the road with them. The blind spots include the following:
- In front of the truck: Directly in front of the truck, there’s a blind spot that spans around 20 feet. Vehicles that are too close to the front of a semi-truck are invisible to the truck driver.
- Passenger’s side: The passenger’s side of the truck has a particularly large blind spot that extends the entire length of the trailer. This is considered the most dangerous blind spot.
- Driver’s side: The truck’s side can also be a blind spot that spans the length of the trailer.
- Behind the truck: The area directly behind the truck can be a blind spot and spans around 30 feet.
While modern trucks have plenty of mirrors and modern technologies to keep their drivers safe and help them avoid motor vehicle accidents, car-truck collisions are big issues across the nation. Unfortunately, most such crashes are fatal, so the truck and car drivers should know how to avoid dangers, material damage, severe injuries, and loss of life.
Why Should You Avoid These Blind Spots?
You should always avoid the blind spots of a huge truck at all times when sharing the road with one. Avoiding a semi’s blind spots can help keep you and others safer as it can potentially avoid a devastating accident or even pileup accidents.
It’s important to remember that a blind spot is a spot where it’s difficult or virtually impossible for the truck driver to see you. There are several ways to be smart when driving, along with huge semi-trucks. However, if an accident does occur regardless, you should immediately contact an attorney to file a claim. Trust a Birmingham, AL truck accident lawyer with your case to ensure you recover all the costs associated with your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, material damages, and other losses you incurred due to the truck accident.
But you shouldn’t reach an insurance company’s office or a court of law to claim your rights. Instead, prevention is always the best policy. So follow these steps to keep yourself safe while on the road and protect other traffic participants, truck drivers included.
Always Look at the Truck’s Mirrors
You should always check for the truck’s mirrors. If you can see the trucker clearly in the mirror, the trucker should also be able to see you. But, of course, the opposite is true if you cannot spot the mirrors. Also, remember that just because the truck’s mirrors are large doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no blind spot.
Carefully Maneuver When Changing Lanes
If you believe you’re in a truck’s blind spots or simply want to change lanes, you should always signal and maneuver as carefully as possible. There should be plenty of space between you and the truck to pass safely. You should also always avoid passing a truck from its right side.
Slow Down and Never Tailgate
You should avoid speeding when you’re sharing the road with a truck. Keep your speed limit up with traffic. Never tailgate a semi as it can be dangerous and lead to an accident. Huge trucks take more time to stop than smaller vehicles, so traveling too closely behind one can be a disaster. It also puts you directly in one of the most dangerous blind spots.
Bottom Line
When you take the right steps to share the road with a semi-truck, it ensures your safety and the safety of everyone else. Most people blame truck drivers for accidents, but sometimes, they cannot avoid them. Staying safe and respecting the other traffic participants is always the wisest choice for sharing the road with truckers, cyclists, motorcycle riders, pedestrians, etc. Getting compensation for your damages and injuries depends on who proved to be negligent and what insurance coverage they carry, so it is best to avoid such matters. If an accident happens, make sure you get immediate medical help, file a police report, and go to the insurance company with a specialized lawyer by your side.
About the author:
With a law degree under his belt, Mark Scott understood very early that law communication was a relatively neglected area. He decided to help people by “translating” the language and offering information and advice in a clear, useful, and actionable manner. For this reason, instead of finding him in court, you will most likely find his name online, where he is very active and thriving as a legal columnist. His part of making the world a better place is to make the law a less convoluted maze. He aims to make it easier for people to understand when and how to seek legal counsel, how to proceed in a significant number of legal matters and to find the proper resources so they can stand up for their rights.