Driving Safely and Staying Out of a Truck's Blind Spots

Driving alongside large semi- trucks and passing them up is a normal part of everyday travel for most of us. Even though it may be a part of everyday life, something that many motorists don’t realize that big semi-trucks have blind spots and invalidly assume that because the truck driver sits higher up, the truck driver must be able to see them.

Many drivers, especially newer ones, aren’t familiar with where a trucker’s blind spots are, which can lead to a dangerous trucking accident putting the passenger in the vehicle at a very serious risk. Let the Mintz Law Firm give you some good tips on staying out of truck drivers blind spots.

Get familiar with a semi-truck’s blind spots. A blind spot is where the driver loses sight of other vehicles. Understanding the location and scope of each blind spot or “no zone” can help you avoid them.

Be patient. When sharing the road with trucks, it’s important to drive carefully and to realize that trucks cannot maneuver quickly in an emergency situation. Being patient is as important as knowing where the truck’s blind spots are.

Do not follow a truck too closely. By staying close behind a truck, you’ll be in the truck’s rear blind spot, and if the driver isn’t aware of this and makes a sudden stop or maneuver, you’re at risk of rear-ending into the truck. The best distance is about 20 to 25 car lengths behind a truck. In poor weather conditions, this gap should be even longer.

Keep both (left and right) truck mirrors in your sights as much as possible when traveling behind a truck. If you can see the driver’s face in his mirrors, then it’s likely that he can see you. The moment that you cannot see the driver’s face in the truck’s side mirrors, he can’t see you any longer.

Pay attention to a truck’s brake lights and turn signals. These lights may be the only indication that a truck cannot see you. If a truck is about to turn or change lanes, be patient and wait your turn to do whatever it is you were intending.