All motor vehicles have some blind spots, which is why many newer cars and trucks have larger mirrors and advanced camera technology to help their drivers see better. Because of the size and design of big commercial trucks, their blind spots are considerably larger. When truck drivers fail to carefully check their blind spots before turning or changing lanes, they can cause accidents which can have life-altering and even deadly consequences.
When you suspect that you experienced an accident because a truck driver failed to check their blind spots, you should meet with a dedicated local attorney from Whetstone Perkins & Fulda who has vast experience with blind-spot truck accidents in Marion to see if you might have a viable legal claim.
Locations of a Truck Driver’s Blind Spots
A blind spot is an area around a vehicle that the operator cannot see, either directly or in any of their mirrors. Eighteen-wheelers are massive vehicles, where a driver sits high off the road in a cab and tows a large trailer that blocks their view of what is directly behind them. Areas where blind spots typically appear include:
Ahead of the Front Bumper
Because big rig drivers sit so high in a cab, they often cannot see what is happening directly in front of them, which is why truck drivers should not tailgate and should maintain a significant distance between them and the car in front of them.
Behind the Trailer
Unlike passenger vehicles, where a driver can look in their rearview and sideview mirrors to see what is behind them, tractor trailer drivers cannot see what is behind them because of their trailers. This blind spot can extend the length of several vehicles.
Off the Driver’s Side
Drivers of tractor trailers cannot see other vehicles that are directly next to the trailer. Semi-truck drivers can only see cars and other vehicles that are positioned right next to the truck’s cab.
Off the Passenger Side
Because the driver sits on the cab’s left side, everything off to the right is harder for them to see. Anywhere on the passenger side below the window is often outside the visibility of the trucker. The blind spot can stretch from the cab to the back of the trailer and extend across several lanes of highway.
Cars or other vehicles that are in a truck’s blind spots have a greater chance of being struck.
The team of dedicated attorneys at Whetstone Perkins & Fulda understands how traumatic these types of trucking accidents can be.
Potential Liable Parties After a Blind-Spot Trucking Crash
When a truck driver fails to check their mirrors for blind spots, they could be liable for any resulting accident. You might be able to sue the at-fault trucker individually. However, the trucker might not carry enough insurance to cover the cost of all your losses. Sometimes, truck drivers work as independent contractors, and they carry their own commercial insurance policies.
A skilled legal team could also explore other avenues of compensation. They could find out who owns the vehicle, how the trucker gets paid, and the relationship between the trucker and the carrier. If the negligent truck driver worked as an employee for a trucking company, the trucking carrier could be vicariously liable for the negligent actions of the Marion driver who failed to check in their blind spots.
Call a Marion Attorney About Blind-Spot Trucking Accidents
Due to their design and significant size, trucks have more blind spots than most passenger vehicles. However, many blind-spot truck accidents in Marion could be avoided if truckers used all their mirrors and cameras to carefully check for any surrounding vehicles.
When you believe a truck driver’s failure to check their blind spots resulted in your accident, call a diligent local lawyer today to discuss filing a lawsuit.
