Most drivers are accustomed to seeing large trucks on Virginia highways. In fact, these trucks are so commonplace that drivers rarely consider how extremely dangerous they are. During peak traffic times, you might end up getting a little too close to these large vehicles — so close that you could get hit and involved in a catastrophic accident.
You know what it means when you’re driving a big truck, right? Big trucks also have very big blindspots. So big, in fact, that they might not see multiple vehicles that are around them and on different sides of them, and this could result in an unintended accident. These blindspots are often referred to as “no zones.” That’s because no vehicle should ever go near them.
The “no zones” that surround a truck are places where the truck driver cannot see you. These “no zones” can be found on both sides of the truck. The blind spots even extend beyond the lanes on either side of a big rig. No zones are also found in the front of the truck and to the back of the truck.
The general rule of thumb that drivers can follow to determine if a truck driver can see them is to look for the truck driver’s mirrors. If you can see the side mirrors, then you know that the truck driver is probably able to see you. If you can see the truck driver himself in the mirror, then you can be sure that you’re within his sight range.
Since driving in a truck driver’s blindspot could prove fatal, Virginia motorists should never “hang out” in these areas while driving alongside a big rig. Also, drivers should avoid driving near big rigs unnecessarily, even if they’re sure they are seen. The more space you give these heavy vehicles the better.
Sometimes, negligent truck drivers make mistakes and cause accidents no matter how careful a motor vehicle driver happens to be. If this happens to you or a loved one, you might be able to seek money in court to pay for your accident injuries, medical care, property damages and other costs related to the incident.