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Do you know where a truck’s blind spots are located?

On Behalf of | Jan 14, 2025 | Truck Accidents

Sharing the roads with commercial-sized trucks can make some drivers frustrated or anxious. One way to make it less stressful to drive around massive trucks is to know the location of a truck’s blind spots (commonly called no-go zones) and avoid them.

Due to the size of trucks, they have larger blind spots than those of small cars. Thus, you need to be extra careful when driving around them. To avoid getting hit by a trucker who cannot see you, be mindful of these no-go zones:

On the right side

The largest blind spot on a truck is on its right side. The blind spot stretches from the front of the truck to the back, covering two to three lanes, depending on its size.

On the left side

The left side blind spot is not as large as the right side one, but it’s equally dangerous. This blind spot starts directly behind the driver’s side door and extends to about the middle of the trailer. It covers approximately one lane of traffic.

When you want to overtake a truck, you should confirm that you can see the truck driver’s reflection in their side mirror. If you can, they can usually see your vehicle as well. Then, signal your intention, move into the left lane and accelerate.

Immediately in front

A truck driver may not see a small vehicle immediately in front, as trucks have a front blind spot that extends about 20 feet from the nose.

After passing a truck, you should continue driving past it until you can see the truck in your rear-view mirror before going back into the lane.

Directly behind

Since truck drivers have no rear-view mirror to look through, they can’t see what’s directly behind them. They rely on side mirrors to know what’s happening. Therefore, when driving behind a truck, increase the safe following distance to have time to react safely when the truck driver stops or slows down.

By being “truck aware” of these areas and taking necessary precautions, you can increase your own safety. Always try to maintain a safe distance when driving in Vancouver, especially in areas where visibility is limited, and remember that making yourself visible to truckers is essential to keeping them from inadvertently hitting you.