Truck Accidents Involving Blind Spots
Commercial truck accidents can cause catastrophic injuries and devastating financial damages. Many of these collisions involve blind spots. Passenger vehicles are much smaller than commercial trucks and can be hidden in a truck’s large blind spots. When individuals are injured in truck accidents involving blind spots, it is important that responsible parties be held accountable for damages.
The truck accident lawyers from The Tawwater Law Firm work with injury victims in the Oklahoma City, OK, area to establish collision liability and pursue compensation for the full extent of crash damages.
Be Aware of a Truck’s Blind Spots
One of the best ways to avoid truck accidents involving blind spots is to refrain from traveling within a truck’s “no zones.” Unfortunately, many Oklahoma City drivers assume that a commercial truck’s blind spots are the same as those of a passenger vehicle, and that is not true. Commercial trucks have blind spots that are significantly larger than other vehicles, and they also have more blind spots than passenger vehicles. A commercial truck has blind spots in the following areas:
- The first 20 feet in front of the cab of the truck
- The first 30 feet directly behind the trailer of the truck
- The first one or two lanes of traffic to the right of the truck’s trailer
- The first lane of traffic to the left of the truck (from the door of the cab to the back of the trailer)
Common Causes of Blind Spot Truck Accidents
When a vehicle is traveling within a truck’s blind spots, it cannot be seen from the windows or mirrors of the truck. However, there are still ways to avoid truck accidents involving blind spots. Most often, these accidents occur because a truck driver or trucking company fails to take the steps necessary to minimize the risk of a collision. For example, a truck accident involving blind spots may be the result of:
- Failure to check blind spots before changing lanes or making other maneuvers
- Failure to check surrounding traffic
- Lack of appropriate driver training or qualifications
- Lack of appropriate mirrors
- Failure to properly align mirrors to minimize the size of blind spots
- Failure to install accident avoidance technology
- Driving while distracted
- Driving while fatigued
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Liability for Blind Spot Truck Accidents
When a commercial truck is in an accident involving blind spots, the trucking company’s insurance company may claim that another driver is at-fault because they should have avoided traveling within a blind spot. However, that is not always possible, especially when traffic conditions are heavy.
It is ultimately a truck driver’s responsibility to check blind spots to be sure they are empty before proceeding with a turn, lane change, or other maneuver. And trucking companies are responsible for ensuring that their vehicles are equipped with proper safety gear, and that everything is well maintained and in working order. If a truck accident is caused by truck driver error or by a vehicle malfunction, it is likely that liability will fall on the truck driver, the company that owns or operates the truck, or a parts manufacturer.
Contact Us
If you have been injured in a truck accident involving blind spots, the lawyers from The Tawwater Law Firm can gather the evidence necessary to establish liability so you can be justly compensated for crash damages. To discuss the details of your collision with our legal team, send us a message online or call our Oklahoma City law firm at (405) 607-1400.
