Where are the blind spots on a commercial truck? 

Vehicles come in all shapes and sizes and it’s inevitable that they all share the same parts of the roadways at times. Operators of smaller vehicles need to be especially careful when driving around commercial trucks. In a road traffic collision with a larger vehicle, it is usually the smaller vehicle that comes off worse. 

One thing worth paying special attention to is blind spots. All vehicles have these, but they are accentuated on larger vehicles that have more restricted views of the environment around them. Here’s what you should look out for. 

Directly behind the truck 

Trucks generally carry cargo which means their rearview is significantly impeded. If you’re behind a commercial vehicle, then it’s important to ensure you don’t get too close. Leaving enough space means that you have more time to react should a truck come to a sudden stop or make a sharp turn. 

Directly in front of the cab

The cabs of commercial vehicles tend to be raised significantly above the ground. This makes it difficult for truck drivers to see what is directly in front of them. For this reason, it’s important to make sure that you allow plenty of space between you and a large vehicle to your rear. Trucks have much longer stopping distances. If you are located too close to the front, there is a distinct possibility that they run into the back of you if something goes wrong. 

Both sides can be dangerous 

While both sides of a commercial truck have blind spots, the blind spot on the passenger side is significantly larger. Truckers have a hard time seeing anything that approaches from this side, so if you do have to overtake, it’s advisable to carry out the maneuver on the driver’s side. 

No matter how courteous you are as a driver, it’s still possible that you could end up in a collision, if you’ve been injured because of the negligence of another party, be sure to explore your options in terms of pursuing legal compensation.