Blind Spot Semi Truck Accidents

Large semi-tractor-trailer trucks are a necessary component of freight and commerce in the United States, delivering essential goods and services to communities. But when accidents occur between passenger cars and large commercial trucks weighing up to 18,000 pounds when fully loaded with freight, the result is often devastating to smaller vehicles. One of the most common causes of preventable truck accidents is blind spot collision. Commercial truck cabs have no rearview mirrors because a mirror on the cab’s windshield would only reflect the tall back of the trailer. Truck drivers rely on their truck’s side mirrors, but the views from these mirrors leave extensive blind spots. When a vehicle travels in a truck’s blind spot, the driver may not know they are there if they haven’t paid vigilant attention to the position of the traffic around them.

Understanding Blind Spots in Semi-Trucks

Truck blind spots result in unsafe lane changes by truck drivers who are not aware of the presence of another vehicle traveling in a blind spot. Drivers sharing the road with large commercial trucks pulling trailers should avoid the following positions—known as no-zones— in truck blind spots:

• Up to 20 feet in front of a truck: when passing a truck, always allow more than 20 feet of space in front of the truck before merging back into its lane. A truck driver cannot see the space directly in front of and below the cab
• The two lanes to the right of the truck (passenger’s side) and angling outward, extending the entire length of the truck and trailer. This is the largest truck blind spot
• One lane angling out from the truck’s cab on the left (driver’s side) from under the driver’s window and extending back to the first quarter of the truck’s trailer
• Two car lengths behind the back of the truck’s trailer. Never tailgate a large commercial truck or ride in its wake since the driver may not know you are there

If you cannot see the truck’s side mirrors from your position, the driver may not be aware of your vehicle’s presence.

Common Blind Spot Truck Accidents

Although motorists should do their best to avoid lingering in a truck’s blind spot, it’s the responsibility of the truck driver to be vigilant and remain aware of the position of traffic around them. Truck drivers have a duty to check and double-check their side mirrors and any side-angle cameras if their truck is equipped with these devices, which are growing in popularity on newer model trucks.

Common accidents associated with semi-truck blind spots include the following:

• Sideswipe accidents
• Roadway departures due to a smaller vehicle sideswiped by a truck
• Head-on collisions: caused when the driver of a smaller vehicle loses control after a sideswipe by a large truck
• Truck override or underride accidents: due to the immense size of semi-tractor-trailer trucks, a sideswipe can become an override accident with the truck’s cab driving over a smaller vehicle, or an underride accident when a smaller vehicle becomes lodged beneath the trailer of a truck making an unsafe lane change

All accidents between large semi trucks and smaller vehicles are traumatic and terrifying, but truck override and underride accidents are typically catastrophic, ending in devastating injuries and fatalities.

How Can a St. Louis Truck Accident Attorney Help?

Truck accident claims to recover damages like medical expenses, lost income, compensation for pain and suffering, or wrongful death damages quickly become complex. Multiple entities could bear liability, including the driver, the truck company, the maker of a defective truck part, or other parties. It takes a thorough investigation and evidence of liability to make a compelling case for the maximum available compensation. An experienced St. Louis truck accident lawyer from Miller & Hine is ready to legally represent your best interests throughout the process, increasing your chances of a favorable outcome.