Truck Blind Spots: Who Is Liable For An Accident?

Posted in Truck Accidents on February 11, 2021

Driving around large commercial trucks on the roadways can be fairly intimidating. Most drivers in traditional passenger vehicles tend to keep their distance from these large trucks on the road, but that is not always possible.

Unfortunately, there are times when smaller vehicles get into a truck’s blind spots, and this can lead to severe accidents. Here, we want to discuss who can be held liable in the event an accident occurs because a vehicle was in a semi-truck’s blind spot.

Where are a truck’s blind spots?

The blind spots of large commercial trucks are much larger than the blind spots for traditional passenger vehicles. These blind spots are often referred to as the truck’s “No-Zones,” areas where a driver cannot see other vehicles at all. The zones exist directly in front of and behind the truck as well as along both sides of the truck.

A general rule of thumb for drivers in regular vehicles is that – If you cannot see the truck driver physically or in their mirrors, then the truck driver cannot see you.

Liability for a truck blind spot accident

If an accident occurs because a vehicle was in the truck’s blind spot, the truck driver or trucking company may attempt to argue that the driver of the passenger vehicle was at fault because they were operating in the blind spot.

It is true that if a motorist stays in the “No-Zones,” they increase the odds of being involved in a truck accident. However, there are no laws or regulations that say drivers cannot operate their vehicle in the blind spot of a large truck – it’s just not a good idea.

The bottom line is this – if the driver of a large commercial truck fails to check their mirrors and clear their blind spots before conducting a maneuver, they will likely be held liable for causing a crash. If you were hit by a truck, call our Nashville truck accident attorneys for a free consultation.

Common causes of blind spot truck accidents

There are a wide variety of scenarios that could lead to an accident involving a vehicle in a truck’s blind spot. In general, these accidents usually occur because the truck driver did not see a smaller vehicle in the blind spot when they were changing lanes or turning.

Some common causes of truck blind spot accidents include the following:

  • Vehicles following each other too closely, including a car tailgating a truck or vice versa
  • Truck driver failing to check their blind spots before making a lane change or a turn
  • Passenger cars purposely traveling in a truck’s blind spots
  • A truck driver’s aggressive driving behavior, including slamming the brakes to signal to a driver to back off or cutting off another vehicle on the roadway

Common truck blind spot accident injuries

Unfortunately, accidents involving large commercial trucks often result in severe injuries for those involved. It is not uncommon for those traveling inside traditional passenger vehicles to sustain the following injuries in the event they collide with a commercial truck:

  • Broken and dislocated bones
  • Severe lacerations or puncture wounds
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Other severe back or neck injury
  • Internal organ damage
  • Internal bleeding
  • Amputations
  • Crush injuries

It is crucial for victims in these cases to secure the compensation they deserve. If the truck driver’s failure to check their blind spots contributed to an accident, they should be held liable for their actions.