If you are injured in a truck accident, you need a lawyer to investigate the circumstances of your accident, regardless of what the police report says. Don’t assume you’re at fault for the accident. Trucks have large side view mirrors for a reason — a commercial truck has huge blind spots all around the truck, depending on the size. Driving in these blind spots referred to as “no zones” can increase your risk of being involved in a lane change accident with a commercial truck. The U.S. Department of Transportation, warns that a large semi-truck and trailer combination has a 20-foot blind spot directly in front of the cab and a 30-foot blind spot directly behind the trailer. The following semi-truck pictorial illustrates the location of blind spot’s around a semi-tractor trailer:
As you can see from the above illustration there are also large blind spots to the left and the right of the truck’s cab. On the driver’s side, the blind spot extends out one lane and about half way down the side of the trailer.
However, on the passenger side of the truck, the blind spot extends two lanes over and may run down the side of the entire length of the trailer. Furthermore, when a large truck is making a right turn, the blind spot may run the entire length of the truck on the passenger side if you are close to the trailer.
How To Avoid Being In The Blind Spot Truck Accident
Truck drivers understand they must make every effort to be careful vehicles are not in the blind spots to avoid a collision. However, there are also steps passenger vehicle drivers can take to avoid a blind spot truck accident. You should know the tips for avoiding a Michigan blind spot truck accident, which include the following:
- Allow Additional Space – Stay away from the back of the truck and allow extra space in between you and the back of the truck when changing lanes.
- Don’t Tailgate a truck – If you’re following a truck too closely, this can result in wind blow back towards your vehicle in addition to limiting your visibility of the surrounding traffic and area. The truck driver cannot see you if you can’t see the truck driver’s side view mirrors. Colliding with the back of a semi-trailer at interstate speeds (i.e., 60 or more miles per hour) may result in deadly or catastrophic undercarriage consequences.
- Stay in View of The Side view Mirrors – If you can see yourself in the side view mirror of the truck, it is more likely the truck driver can see you too. Being visible to the driver can avoid a collision.
- Pass on the Left side of the truck – The blind spot on the right side of a big rig is large and extends the length of the trailer in some instances. If possible, you should pass on the left side of the truck to avoid driving in the large blind spot area of any tractor-trailer.
- Don’t Drive long side of turning Truck – If a truck is making a wide right turn due to its lengthy size, the driver cannot see any vehicles immediately on the right side of the truck. A large truck may require two lanes to complete a right turn. You may believe you have enough room; however, you could be pinned by the trailer of the truck or another object, or the truck could run over your vehicle if you are too close on the right side of the tractor-trailer.
Looking for a Truck Accident Lawyer?
If you or a loved one were hurt in a truck accident, it’s always in your best interest to consult with an experienced Michigan truck accident attorney to determine if you are entitled to compensation from the trucking company. To schedule a free consultation with a Michigan truck accident lawyer, call The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm’s law office at 1-248-352-2110 or toll free 866-HIRE-JOE.