The large blind spots on trucks are called “no-zones.” Trucks have four no-zones at the front, back, left, and right. Since trucks have no-zones at every corner, they pose a great danger to other drivers. That is because the truck drivers will be unable to see other drivers, which means they are likely to hit the drivers accidentally. As a matter of fact, these blind spots have been the cause of many accidents in the United States. According to Bodden and Bennett, no-zones are responsible for 1 in 3 crashes and 35% of fatalities.
How do these blind spots cause accidents, some people may ask? This article will discuss and explain the four no-zones to understand how these truck accidents happen. It will also give tips on how drivers can avoid the trucks’ no-zones. Also, for certain cases you may want to contact a truck accident attorney in Long Island NY.
Front No-Zone
This blind spot extends 20 feet past the truck’s front bumper. If a driver has to be in front of this no-zone, they should be at least 20 feet away to be visible. While the driver is in front, they should avoid sudden braking. That is because trucks have delayed braking time due to the weight of the loads they carry. It becomes challenging for the truck driver to brake once the driver brakes. Therefore, the driver at the front must constantly be in motion.
Rear No-Zone
This no-zone is longer than the front one since it measures 200 feet from the truck’s back bumper. Any driver behind this truck will be unable to see a vehicle ahead of the truck. That means overtaking the truck becomes challenging since there is a chance you may collide with another car in the opposite lane.
The other drawback of this no-zone is that the truck driver cannot tell how far drivers are from behind. That means the truck driver may brake only for the driver behind to collide with it.
Right No-Zone
The truck’s right blind spot is larger than the left one. It occupies the entire truck’s right side, which means the truck driver will not be able to spot most vehicles on their right.
Left No-Zone
Unlike other no-zones, the truck driver can at least spot some vehicles from this angle. That is because it occupies ¾ of the space and not the entire side like the right no-zone. However, the driver still needs to steer clear of this blind spot. If interested, here is more information on where the truck blind spots are located.
How to Avoid a Truck’s No-Zones
One common reason drivers drive near the truck’s no-zones is to overtake them. It is quite understandable since trucks tend to move slowly, which can delay you if you are in a rush. However, sometimes it is unnecessary to take that risk. After all, you are better off being to a place late than dead on time. Since it is a driver’s priority to keep safe from truck-related accidents, here are things they can do to avoid a truck’s blind spots.
Only Pass on the Truck’s Left Side
We have already established that the left no-zone provides the truck driver with some visibility. Once a driver chooses to drive on this side, they must be fast. If they drive slowly, they may get sideswiped by the portion of the truck with a no-zone.
Maintain a Safe Distance
This is an option that we recommend the most. As a matter of fact, drivers should not be anywhere near the truck’s slipstream. That means they should stay at least 4 seconds away from the truck. Of course, you could break this rule if you are going to overtake it from the left side. If you are not daring enough to overtake a truck, it would be best to stick with this option.
Avoid Passing From the Truck’s Right Side
Of course, all other blind spots are dangerous, but the right one is the most dangerous. If a driver drives near the right no-zone, they could become victims of a squeeze play accident. In a squeeze play accident, the driver gets sandwiched between the truck and another car. This usually happens when the truck makes an abrupt turn to the right.
Conclusion
Those who wanted to know the name of the truck’s large blind spots probably stopped reading after the first sentence. However, it is not enough to know what they are. As a driver, you should also know how dangerous they are. Since they cause a lot of accidents, it’s best that you know as much as possible if you are going to be out on the roads.