Trucker's Blind Spots: How to Handle With Care

Trucker’s have a lot more responsibility under their belts than just delivering shipments on time. With the size of their rigs, the complex loads they haul, and the copious amount of time spent on the road, safey is of the utmost importance- defensive driving.

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Bind spots are of major concern because truck drivers have more to worry about than the average driver in a smaller vehicle. In this blog post, we outline the blind spots on a truck and the safest ways to handle them.

What are a Trucker’s Blind Spots?

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Every vehicle operator knows that the blind spots are the areas just outside of the vehicle that can’t be seen by the mirrors. 

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On a truck, there are 4 blind spots:

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• Front Blind Spot: This is located in front of the truck cab, due to the height of the cab and the engine. This makes it difficult for the truck driver to see the space about 20 ft. ahead, so they need to take care when having to slow down for a car that has merged in front.

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• Right Side Blind Spot: There are blind spots on the left and right sides, with the right side being more pronounced since the trucker sits farther away on the left side. The blind spot on the right extends the length of the trailer, so a car sitting to the right of the back of the trailer is out of mirror view. 

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• Left Blind Spot: This blind spot is smaller than the right side, extending about one lane from the door of the cab to the mid-point of the trailer.

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• Rear Blind Spot: The driver is also not able to see about 30 ft. extended from the rear. The driver behind should follow with at least two car lengths of space to maintain a safe distance.

How to Be Aware of Blind Spots

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Truck drivers remain vigilant while driving by ensuring their mirrors are well-adjusted and clean for clear visibility. It’s also important to maintain a safe, slow speed that allows the trucker enough time to slow down without having to stomp on the brakes.

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For other drivers, it’s important to be extremely careful when driving on the right side of a truck. Always give plenty of space and if traveling at night, use lights or wear colorful clothing if you are on a motorcycle to stand out.

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