All vehicles have blind spots that drivers must be aware of and check before making maneuvers, such as switching lanes. However, the massive size of commercial trucks creates much larger and more numerous blind spots, making it challenging for truckers to see other cars nearby.
These blind spots lead to unnecessary, preventable crashes that leave many people injured each year. If you were hurt due to blind-spot truck accidents in Florence, our hardworking tractor-trailer crash attorneys can assess the circumstances surrounding the wreck and help you understand your next steps.
What is a Blind-Spot Truck Accident?
As previously mentioned, commercial trucks have larger blind spots than other vehicles. When other drivers travel in these blind zones, the trucker cannot see them and could switch lanes or make other maneuvers, causing them to collide with cars on the highway. The size of a truck’s blind spots increases or decreases, depending on the length and height of the vehicle.
Commercial Trucks Have Four Primary Blind-Spot Areas
Understanding where a truck’s blind spots are can help motorists avoid traveling in these hazardous zones and getting in accidents. The location of a truck’s four primary blind spots are:
- The front of the truck, extending from 15 to 25 feet from the front bumper
- The back of the vehicle, beginning at the bumper and stretching from 150 to 225 feet
- The left side of the semi, starting at the side mirror and extending back to the vehicle’s midsection
- The right side of the 18-wheeler from the passenger side door and stretching to the back of the truck’s trailer
While motorists must help keep themselves safe by avoiding these blind spots, the trucker is responsible for checking each zone before changing lanes or making other maneuvers. A proactive attorney in Florence can help prove that a trucker did not check their blind spots before changing lanes, causing a crash.
Truck Driver License Requirements and Penalties
Federal and state regulations establish strict guidelines for commercial truck drivers and the companies they work for, since trucks can cause deadly accidents if left unregulated.
Under the Code of Federal Regulations 49 § 383, federal law prohibits truckers with commercial driver’s licenses (CDL’s) from failing to provide employment history within the industry when applying for new jobs. The statute also forbids employers from hiring truck operators with suspended commercial driver’s licenses or a history of unsafe driving practices on their record. Employers must also ensure every CDL driver meets the minimum standards, including passing written and driving skill tests before they begin working.
Trucker drivers who violate federal safety laws face CDL suspension, revocation, and prosecution. Meanwhile, penalties for trucking companies that fail to adhere to the regulations include written warnings, fines, and civil prosecution. If a truck driver regularly navigates without checking their blind spots or a commercial vehicle company hires someone who is not equipped to handle these blind spots, you can likely hold one of these parties accountable for your injuries. A Flornce lawyer can help with determining which party should face liability.
Call Our Attorneys to Learn About Florence Blind-Spot Truck Accidents
Driving a large truck is more complex and intense than operating a standard car. Therefore, drivers must complete extensive training, pass various skill tests, and adhere to rules and regulations. Carefully checking blind spots is a crucial part of operating a truck, as failure to do so can lead to life-changing injuries.
If you were hit by a truck whose driver did not adequately check their blind spots, you could be eligible to collect compensation. Schedule an appointment with our aggressive lawyers for help resolving blind-spot truck accidents in Florence.
