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The dangers of semi-truck blind spots

On Behalf of | Mar 22, 2023 | Truck Accidents |

One of the most critical elements of safe driving is seeing what is around your vehicle to prevent harm to yourself and others. Certain vehicles are at a higher risk of getting into an accident because of the vehicle size and height, such as semi-trucks and other large vehicles.

Generally speaking, large trucks are more dangerous than smaller vehicles for several reasons. Semi-trucks, for example, are notorious for their substantial blind spots. Cars on the road should be cautious when driving behind or around them.

Driving around semi-trucks is especially dangerous because they have blind spots on all four sides of the truck, obstructing the truck driver’s view. Blind spots are extremely dangerous because the driver cannot see anything within that space, which can easily cause an accident.

Blind spots for semi-trucks

Semi-trucks have four major blind spots, which can easily lead to an accident. These accidents are often fatal due to the size of the truck. If the truck cannot see the car beside it, it can easily crush it. The blind spots for semi-trucks are located:

  • Twenty feet in front of the truck
  • Thirty feet behind the truck, and if the truck is larger, the blind spot could also be larger
  • Anywhere from the driver’s door to the back end of the truck
  • Anywhere from the front right side of the truck to the back of the truck

Additional concerns about semi-trucks

By design, semi-trucks do not have rearview mirrors, further limiting the scope of what the driver can see on the road. As technology advances, new safety devices are developed. However, this has yet to be the case for semi-trucks.

For this reason, it is especially critical to be careful when driving behind a semi-truck or around it. It is your best bet if you avoid these trucks altogether.