Be aware of large truck blind spots

Aug 12, 2021

Drivers in Michigan should be aware of large truck blind spots. Every vehicle on the road has a blind spot. But for large trucks, those are much bigger than average. Truckers can’t see for one lane to their left, two lanes to their right and for 20 feet in front or behind them. That’s true even of careful drivers who use their rearview mirrors properly. Accounting for these blind spots can help keep other drivers safer on the road.

Truck accidents are on the rise

The most recent figures for motor vehicle accidents involving trucks indicate that they’re actually increasing. Over 4,100 people were killed in such accidents in 2019. There are many causes behind this phenomenon. For one thing, devices like smartphones are more distracting for all drivers. Many truckers are also overworked and may struggle with fatigue. The drivers of smaller passenger vehicles also need to be responsible when interacting with trucks on the road.

Safety features in trucks

Features like lane departure warning and other driver assist technologies are standard on most passenger cars these days. However, they’re less common on large trucks. Some truckers are owner-operators, essentially small businesses in their own right. That means they’re less likely to afford the expense of technological upgrades. Some large fleets have upgraded to include these features, but overall, not many have.

The widespread adoption of modern safety features in large trucks could potentially prevent thousands of truck accidents annually. Hopefully, state and federal governments will try to find ways to incentivize this behavior. Doing so could save hundreds of lives. Until that happens, all drivers need to be very aware of trucks’ blind spots.

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