All drivers should check their blind spots before turning or changing lanes. This is particularly important for commercial truck drivers since larger vehicles will have more prominent blind spots and could cause devastating damage when involved in a crash.
Truck drivers should have adequate training and experience handling their vehicles. They should be able to use their mirrors and other technology to ensure that cars are not in their blind spots. If they fail to do so, they could cause a severe, catastrophic, or fatal injury accident.
The St. Louis truck accident lawyers at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are ready to stand up for you if you were injured in a crash caused by a driver who failed to check their blind spot. Our team of experienced St. Louis personal injury attorneys has been assisting crash victims since 1999. Not only are we the best-reviewed personal injury law firms in the St. Louis area, but we were named one of the ten best personal injury firms in the country in 2015 by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys. We are confident that we have what it takes to make a difference in your case.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, call us toll-free 24 hours a day, fill out a contact form, or chat with us live for a free consultation.
What Are “No-Zones”?
A “no-zone” refers to the areas around the rig or trailer where a truck driver cannot see smaller vehicles. Motorists traveling in these areas are at a greater risk of being involved in a crash.
The four main truck blind spots to be aware of are:
- Side Blind Spots — Trucks have large blind spots on either side of the cab and trailer. These blind spots extend roughly from the truck’s cab diagonally to the back of the trailer on either side. A truck’s side-view mirrors offer some visibility for drivers, but vehicles that are close by will be difficult for the driver to see. In particular, a truck driver will have trouble seeing anything in its right-rear quadrant because the driver sits farther away from their right-side mirrors than their left-side mirrors.
- Rear Blind Spot — A truck driver will not be able to see what is behind the vehicle, especially if the truck is towing a trailer. If the truck driver has to stop or slow down abruptly, drivers in the rear could slam into the back of the truck. In extreme cases, the body of another vehicle could slide and become lodged under the trailer. These “underride” truck accidents often result in horrific injuries to anyone in the other vehicle.
- Front Blind Spot — Semi-trucks sit higher off the road than most other vehicles, and their engine compartments extend a long way from where the driver sits. Because of these two factors, truck drivers will have difficulty seeing anything directly in front of them because the engine compartment blocks their view.
A truck’s no-zones are dangerous places. The standard commercial trailer will range between 48 and 53 feet, which means the truck will usually measure about 72 to 80 feet in length when you add the rig. The average passenger vehicle, by contrast, is 14.7 feet long. This means that you’ll be in a truck’s no-zone for several seconds when passing, and if you linger beside or behind one of these massive vehicles, you are at risk of being severely injured or killed if the driver fails to account for their blind spot.
In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 840,000 blind spot accidents occur each year in the U.S. These accidents result in nearly 300 deaths, and countless more injuries.
In a nationwide sample of 967 crashes involving at least one commercial vehicle, the Federal Motor Safety Carrier Association’s Large Truck Crash Causation Study showed that the driver’s failure to check blind spots responsibly was to blame for 14% of the crashes.
Avoiding Trucks’ Blind Spots
The best way to minimize your chances of a blind spot accident with a truck is to avoid driving in the no-zones if possible.
Here are a few tips for navigating a truck’s blind spots:
- Make sure you can see the truck driver before passing. If you cannot see the truck driver, the truck driver probably cannot see you.
- Pass trucks quickly to avoid lingering in their blind spot. The longer you stay in a truck’s blind spot, the more at risk you are of an accident.
- Never pass a truck on the right side. A truck’s right-side blind spot is much bigger than its left-side blind spot, making it harder for the driver to see you.
- Allow plenty of distance between your vehicle and the front of a truck when moving into the truck’s lane when passing. If you get too close to the front of the truck, the truck driver will have difficulty seeing you and could rear-end you.
- Stay as far back as possible. If you are too close and the truck driver slams on the brakes, you could collide with the truck’s back end or trailer.
Who Is Responsible for a Blind Spot Truck Accident in St. Louis, Missouri?
To obtain a commercial drivers’ license (CDL), a truck driver must successfully complete driver training from a FMCSA-approved training provider and pass road skills and driving examinations proving that they can handle their vehicle. This training includes accounting for the blind spots on their vehicle and how to keep themselves and others safe.
If a driver ignores their training, or if they were distracted, intoxicated, aggressive, or otherwise negligent and fail to check their blind spots and cause a crash, they could and should be held accountable for the injuries and damage they cause.
Depending on the circumstances of the crash, the truck driver’s employer could also be held accountable for an accident their employee caused. This is known as “vicarious liability” in which the company would be held indirectly liable for your commercial vehicle accident under a legal concept called “respondeat superior” or “let the master answer.”
A truck driver is an employee, making them a legal agent of the company. The trucking company is responsible for hiring and supervising them, so any mistakes or negligence on the part of the driver could make the company vicariously liable if they hired a driver with a history of driving violations, accidents, or other issues that could impact your case.
To prove liability after a crash, you’ll want to have an experienced truck accident lawyer on your side. It takes experience, skill, and time to investigate an accident and gather the evidence necessary to build a convincing case, so be sure to hire an attorney as soon as possible after an accident.
Compensation in St. Louis Blind Spot Truck Accidents
If a negligent truck driver injured you in a blind spot accident in St. Louis, you could be owed significant compensation. A truck accident lawyer will look to make you whole again by seeking compensation not just for your current losses, but future losses associated with your injuries as well. This could include:
- The cost of any medical bills related to the accident and the cost of future care
- The cost of transportation to your medical appointments
- Any lost income as a result of the accident
- Any reduction in your earning potential due to your injuries
- Your pain and suffering Your emotional distress
- Any personal property that was damaged in the crash, including repairs or replacement of your vehicle and more
Recovering compensation is not always as easy or straightforward as it might seem. The truck driver, the trucking company, and their insurers will not always be willing to take responsibility immediately. Getting the fair compensation you deserve will often require aggressive representation from an attorney with specific experience handling truck accident claims.
Deadline to File a Blind Spot Truck Accident Lawsuit in Missouri
According to Missouri law, you have five years from the date of a blind spot truck accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, crucial evidence in these cases can disappear quickly, so you should speak to a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible after a crash. If you wait too long to speak to an attorney, you could miss your chance at recovering compensation for your injuries and other losses.
Contact a Blind Spot Truck Wreck Attorney in St. Louis, MO
Proving a truck driver is at fault for a blind spot accident can be difficult without an experienced truck accident lawyer on your side. The award-winning St. Louis truck accident lawyers at Craig, Kelley & Faultless have the skills and experience necessary to make a difference in your case. We’ll be ready to discuss your situation and help you understand your legal options when you call us or reach out to us online today.
Our consultations are 100% free and confidential, so call us now.
