Blind Spot Safety
Everyone has blind spots around them as they drive. Understanding and being aware of blind spots can go a long way towards operating safety on the roadway. You should also be aware of other motorist’s blind spots, particularly when it comes to larger vehicles that may have “No-Zones” where the driver cannot see you at all.
What is a blind spot?
A blind spot is the area on either side of your vehicle that is difficult to see while you are driving. Even though we have rear-view and side-view mirrors, they do not allow us to see everything around the vehicle as we drive. There are some areas that we cannot see without physically turning our heads to look.
Blind spots can lead to serious accidents. There are ways to check blind spots and other safety measures we will discuss.
How are large truck blind spots different?
Large commercial trucks have much larger blind spots than regular passenger vehicles. With these vehicles, there are “No-Zones” where the driver of the truck cannot see vehicles at all. These zones are directly in front and behind the truck, as well as along the sides of the truck.
How to you check your blind spots?
There are several steps you can take when driving to help with blind-spot safety.
- Before you move the vehicle, adjust all of your mirrors properly. Your rear-view should be adjusted so you do not have to look up or down to properly see out of it. Your side-view mirrors should be adjusted so that you see a sliver of the side of your car in each mirror.
- Always check all of your mirrors before you make a lane change and glance over your shoulder in the direction you want to turn before changing lanes.
- Consider installing a blind spot protection system if your vehicle does not have one. These systems use little cameras or other sensors to let the driver know there is a vehicle in their blind spot.
How you can avoid other drivers’ blind spots
Avoiding other drivers’ blind spots can be accomplished by understanding where they are. Cars have smaller blind spots that pickup trucks and SUVs. Regardless of what kind of passenger vehicle you are driving next to, do not linger to their sides for too long if you can avoid doing so. This is especially true for larger trucks. A general rule of thumb for driving next to a tractor-trailer or other large truck is that, if you cannot see the driver in their side mirrors, they cannot see you. When passing a vehicle, whether a smaller or larger vehicle, do so on the left. The left-side blind spot is smaller than the right-side blind spot.
Why this is so important
By understanding blind spots, you can help avoid getting into a car accident in Augusta. During the last reporting year in Georgia, there were nearly 400,000 total crashes. Out of those crashes, there were:
- 1,430 crash fatalities
- 19,405 serious crash injuries
Blindspot awareness is one fact of ensuring that everyone remains safe on the roadway. It is not uncommon for the following injuries to occur as a result of a blind spot car accident in Georgia:
- Broken and dislocated bones
- Severe lacerations
- Internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions