Semitrucks require a lot of room to maneuver how they need to on the road. One thing that many drivers forget is that these large trucks have huge blind spots in which the driver can’t see. Any vehicle that is in the “no zone” is in danger of being struck by the truck because the trucker doesn’t see them.
A good rule of thumb is that if you can’t see the trucker in the side mirrors, the driver can’t see you. If you do have to drive in the no zone, get out of it as quickly as possible. In order to ensure that you are in a safe spot, remember these rules:
- There is a 20-foot blind spot in front of the truck and a 30-foot one in the rear.
- The passenger side blind spot extends from the front of the truck past the back and goes two lanes over.
- The driver side blind spot extends from the area even with the cab door to about the halfway point of the trailer and is one lane wide.
The area on the passenger side is one that should be left alone if possible. One reason for this is that truckers make wide right turns to accommodate the trailer. You don’t want to be caught between the big rig and another object.
There is a chance that you will be hit by a trucker even if you aren’t in the no zone. In these cases, remember that you might seek compensation if the wreck was the trucker’s fault. A successful claim could reduce the financial impact the crash had on you.
