Semi-trucks are commercial vehicles that constitute a huge part of road traffic. Driving side by side with a large truck is a tricky task. These vehicles have blind spots or no zone areas around them.
How Many Blind Spots Does a Semi-Truck Have? Semi-trucks have four blind spots; the first is on the front, and the second is on the rear side of the trailer. The third is present along the left side, and the fourth is on the left side mirror. Keep a safe distance, use signals, and do not cut in front of the semi-truck to avoid No zone areas because they do not use blind spot detection.
Driving in No zone has caused many injuries to drivers and passengers. Therefore it is better to drive carefully on the highway.
Why are semi-truck blind spots dangerous?
A blind spot is an area around the vehicle that drivers can not see while driving. They need some kind of aid to see these areas. All types of vehicles have these spots, and they are dangerous due to the possibility of collision between two automobiles.
They are also known as the NO zones of the trucks. It means you should not drive any vehicle in these zones of these trucks. If you are driving in the No zone, serious accidents can happen.
The driver of large vehicles can not see anything present in the blind spot. It can result in a collision of the vehicle with other small automobiles. That’s why the No zones of the semi-trucks are dangerous.
You should avoid driving on these sites of automobiles. It is the responsibility of the driver to keep track of the vehicles present in the No zone. Otherwise, accidents due to drivers’ negligence can result in the loss of precious life.
Number of blind spots in a semi-truck
The number of blind spots in each vehicle is different. It depends upon the size and dimension of the automobiles. A semi-truck has four No zone around it.
Right side mirror and extended back
The semi-truck cabins have two mirrors; one is on the right side, and the other is on the left side. The area from the right side mirror extending towards the back of the trailer is the blind spot.
Any vehicle present within this zone is not visible to the driver. It starts from the passenger side and extends almost 20 feet from the rear side. It extends out to 2 lanes from the truck.
Left side mirror and extended back
It starts from the left side mirror and extends towards the back of the truck. This zone is present on the driver-side mirror and extends to ¾ of the trailer side.
This spot is not as dangerous as other zones because the driver can track other vehicles from the mirror and window.
Front of the truck
This spot is present on the front side of the semi-truck. The driver sitting in the cabin can not see other small vehicles present in the front of the truck cabin. This zone extends throughout the entire width of the cabin. It also extends to almost 20 feet away from the front side.
The rear side of the semi-truck
The rear side of the semi-tuck is also a No zone. The driver can not see any vehicle coming behind it. The rear side blind spot extends to the entire width of the trailer.
It starts from the back of the trailer and extends 30 feet away from it. This zone is responsible for most of the collision of the truck with small vehicles.
Why are semi-truck blind spots large?
Their size and dimension contribute to the large area of the No zones around a semi-truck. It is a large vehicle with a big trailer attached to the trailer. The trailer of the semi is about 100 feet long.
Due to the presence of a large trailer, the driver cannot see other objects on both sides of the truck. Seeing anything from the passenger side is more difficult due to the gap between the driver and the passenger seat.
The height of the trailer and tractor also contributes to the large No zone area around the truck. The driver is sitting at a high height in the tractor. He can not see other small vehicles running on the side of the trailer.
The height of the trailer also eliminates the possibility of using rearview mirrors. The manufacturers can not install rearview mirrors because the driver can not see through these mirrors due to the large trailer.
Safety measures to avoid blind spots in a semi-truck
It is the duty of both drivers to keep their distance from each other. It is essential to avoid driving in the No Zone area to avoid any trouble. Here is a brief description of all the tips to safely drive along a semi-truck.
Keep safe distance
Drive at a safe distance from the semi-truck trailer to avoid coming into the No Zone area. It is preferable to have a 4 to 5 seconds distance from the large vehicle to avoid blind spots.
It will help in reducing the chances of collision between two vehicles. So when driving in front or back of the trailer, keep a safe distance of approximately 20 to 30 feet.
Adjust the mirrors on both sides of the vehicle. In this way, you will have a clear vision of the back, left, and right sides of the vehicle. You can maintain a safe distance while maintaining the speed of the automobile.
Give signals
Giving signals is crucial in avoiding any mishap between two vehicles. when driving along the semi-truck, always use signals to show your intentions. Use indicators when crossing or changing the position of the vehicle.
In this way, you are communicating your intention to the driver of 18 wheeler. It also helps the driver of the trailer to act accordingly.
Pass on the left side
The driver’s seat is on the left side of the truck. The blind spot at this site is not as dangerous due to the presence of the driver seat. So pass on the left side of the truck to avoid these sides.
It is better to pass quickly while driving along a semi-truck to avoid the No zones. Do not linger along the semi, as it can cause a collision between two vehicles.
Do not cut in front of the semi-truck
Do not cut in front of the large automobiles because these vehicles can not stop immediately. The brakes take time to completely stop the truck. That’s why keep a safe distance from the front of the tractor while cutting in front of it.
If you are driving a small automobile, it is better to wait rather than over-taking in front of the truck trailer to avoid an accident.
Do semi-trucks have blind spot detection?
Blind spot detection is a safety feature in most modern vehicles. This feature uses sensors and cameras to see if any vehicle is in that area or in the lane with the truck.
Semi-trucks do not have this safety feature to detect the presence of other automobiles. It increases the likelihood of the collision of the truck with other vehicles like small cars.
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