Due to their significant size and load, truck accidents can often cause fatalities or significant injuries. Aside from this, other factors may cause a truck crash to be catastrophic, such as blind spots. Blind spots, or “no-zones,” are areas around the truck where drivers have little to no view of nearby vehicles.
With zhe heightened dangers of truck collisions, it is crucial to understand the complexities of such accidents and what to do when involved in one resulting from a failure to check the blind spots. Read on to learn more about this.
What Are Blind Spots and How Do I Know If I’m in a Truck’s Blind Spot?
Trucks inherently have blind spots, often known as “no-zones,” in which the driver’s line of sight is considerably hindered or restricted. Trucks’ high positions can also make it challenging for drivers to see what is directly before or behind them. These blind spots are often places around the truck where the driver has difficulty seeing other cars. Furthermore, massive A-pillars or roof supports between the windshield and side windows and side mirrors may obstruct the driver’s view of adjacent lanes.
Trucks typically have four primary blind spots, namely the truck’s front, rear, right, and left sides. You are in the truck driver’s blind spot if you can’t see the driver’s reflection in their side mirror. Aside from this, a driver’s visibility does not include vehicles within 30 feet of a truck.
Remaining in these blind zones reduces the truck driver’s ability to maneuver and avoid danger.
How to Avoid Staying in a Truck’s Blind Spot
Driving in a truck’s blind spot can pose significant dangers, as truck drivers may execute actions without considering a vehicle’s presence, resulting in a collision. This is why it is essential to follow the steps below to avoid staying in a truck’s blind spot:
- Stay Visible: Be visible by driving where the truck driver can see you easily. Ensure your car is visible in its mirrors, and keep a safe distance ahead and behind the truck.
- Avoid Tailgating: Refrain from following a truck too closely, especially when it’s right behind you or in your blind spot, to avoid tailgating. Keep a safe distance to guarantee that the truck driver can see your car in their mirrors.
- Pass Safely: Try passing the truck quickly. Signal your intention to pass well in advance, then speed to pass efficiently. Move out of the truck’s blind zone as soon as possible, and make sure you can see the truck’s headlights in your rearview mirror before merging back into their lane.
- Anticipate the Truck’s Movements: Be cautious while a truck turns, especially to the right. When turning, trucks frequently swing wide, which raises the possibility of an accident. Remain in the back and give the truck plenty of room to make the turn safely.
- Communicate and Use Signals: When changing lanes or turning, always indicate your intentions with your turn signals. Whenever you can, look the truck driver in the eye to make sure they are aware of you.
You may lessen your chance of getting into an accident in a truck’s blind spot by driving defensively, being alert, and keeping your visibility up.
What To Do in a Truck Accident Due to Blind Spots
Failure to check the blind spots can lead to hazardous truck accidents that can cause serious injuries or even fatalities. Knowing what to do in such a situation is essential to maintaining your safety and safeguarding your legal rights.
Obtain Medical Help
After a blind spot truck accident, your primary focus should be ensuring your health and safety. Immediately move to a secure location, evaluate yourself for any injuries, and seek medical assistance without delay.
This proactive approach prioritizes your well-being and ensures that all injuries are properly documented, including existing, previous, and potential future medical costs. Such documentation plays a vital role in securing compensation for damages incurred. Typically, insurance companies determine the overall value of the losses incurred before coming up with a settlement offer.
Additionally, seeking medical attention for even minor injuries is imperative, as some ailments may not exhibit symptoms right away. This proactive measure helps safeguard your health and accurately assesses the extent of damages for insurance claims.
Avoid Accepting Fault
It’s important to avoid assigning blame or admitting fault following a blind spot truck accident, particularly if you don’t know what caused it. Similarly, you should avoid saying anything that can be seen as an admission of guilt; a simple apology can be seen as an admission of fault.
In a truck accident involving vehicles in a blind spot, it may be challenging to determine liability since several factors may come into play. Did the truck driver fail to check their surroundings while driving? Did you tailgate, causing the collision? Instances such as these must be considered when determining fault.
Prematurely admitting blame can have serious consequences, including the possibility that it would limit your capacity to pursue damages and compensation. Any admission of fault could be used against you by insurance companies when settling a claim or going to court, which could result in less money being paid out or nothing at all.
Collect Evidence
Getting proof is crucial to strengthening your personal injury claim and guaranteeing you are paid for any losses. Hence, gathering evidence at the location of the truck collision is essential.
In case of a truck accident, share contact and insurance information (names, addresses, phone numbers, and license plate numbers) with all pertinent parties. Take pictures of the collision scene to record the positions of the vehicles, the damage, and all the relevant road signs. Also, ensure you have the contact details of witnesses who could have seen the collision.
Notify Law Enforcement
After an accident resulting in injuries and other damages, it’s critical to contact the police as soon as possible to get a police report that will help with the legal process.
Give law enforcement specific information regarding the accident and any injuries that were sustained. Avoid taking responsibility for something, shifting blame, or disclosing information that isn’t necessary because doing so could make situations worse.
Contact a Truck Accident Attorney
Handling such cases may be challenging since truck accidents may cause severe to fatal injuries. Insurance companies will try to avoid paying the damages or reduce the settlement.
For instance, you were sharing a road with a truck and signaled your presence by honking and blinking your lights. Unfortunately, the driver was distracted by the phone, causing their truck to hit you as they backed up. Since your injuries were too severe, you weren’t able to gather evidence at the scene. The insurance provider then tries to blame you by insisting that you were tailgating.
In such an instance, a truck accident attorney can collect evidence that will justify that the truck driver’s negligence solely caused the collision. They can also calculate the total damages and negotiate for maximum compensation.
Safeguarding Your Rights in a Truck Accident
Protecting your rights in a truck accident is critical to receiving the compensation and justice you deserve. By taking the measures above, you may confidently safeguard your rights and manage the intricacies of a truck accident claim. A personal injury lawyer can also help you build and prove your case while you focus on ensuring your well-being. Remember, your health and rights are essential, and taking proactive steps can make all the difference in attaining a positive outcome.
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