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Unsafe lane changes are among the most dangerous and common ways motorists end up colliding with a large truck in California. Many people see large trucks with their drivers high up and assume the truck driver must have a great view of the road. While the elevation does tend to give a truck driver excellent perception in front of a truck, in reality there are several large blind spots truckers also have to deal with. Knowing these blind spots and avoiding them can keep you from a potentially deadly collision.
While truck drivers should always be aware of their environments and know if a vehicle is beside them, this may not always be the case. All too often, situations on a road may force a truck driver to suddenly change lanes, and anyone in the truck’s blind spots can be in peril.
- Perhaps the largest blind spot for a big truck is to the right side, extending from the right of the cab outward. One or more vehicles can easily be within this blind spot and not realize it. Should the truck driver not know that a car has passed into this position, he or she could easily merge lanes and collide with the vehicle. This blind spot extends across numerous lanes, so even if you are not directly next to a big truck, you could be invisible to its driver.
- Another blind spot exists on the left side of a truck, just behind the cab itself. This is one of the most dangerous blind spots for motorists to ride in, since sudden activity to the right of the truck—such as someone merging onto a highway—can force the truck to move to the left. Keep this blind spot in mind whenever you choose to pass a large truck.
- A third, small blind spot exists just in front of the cab and also slightly to the right of it. This area is blocked by the cab itself from the vantage point of the driver. Be sure to speed up and not ride too close to the front of a large truck in order to stay out of this spot.
- Finally, the massive trailer of the truck itself creates a blind spot directly behind it. There is no rearview mirror for a truck driver to look at and see through a back window like in a car or smaller truck. Any time you are right behind a truck trailer, the driver cannot see you.
If you have been injured in a collision due to a truck driver changing lanes without clearing his or her blind spots, call NordstrandBlack PC today at (805) 962-2022.