North Carolina Blind Spot Truck Accident Lawyers

North Carolina’s highways are heavily trafficked by trucks and tractor-trailers, and these vehicles can present serious dangers to other motorists. Blind spots, in particular, are serious concerns for trucks and it can be dangerous to remain in a truck’s blind spot.

In this article, we’ll discuss the dangers of blind spots for trucks, what drivers can do to stay safe, and how a blind spot truck accident lawyer can help if you’re injured due to another’s negligence.

Truck Blind Spot Accidents

Due primarily to their size and length — particularly in the case of tractor-trailers — trucks have large “blind spots,” meaning that truck drivers cannot always see other vehicles close to them. A blind spot is a location that a driver cannot see by looking in their rear-view mirror.

When a truck driver fails to ensure another vehicle is not in the truck’s blind spot, and collides with that vehicle and causes injury, the driver of the other vehicle may be entitled to compensation through a truck accident injury claim.

There is no obligation and you won’t pay any attorney fees unless we win your case and you receive compensation.

Where Do Trucks Have Blind Spots?

Large trucks including tractor-trailers have four primary blind spots:

• Directly in front of the truck’s cab (below the hood)
• Below and behind the driver’s side window
• The right side of the cab, extending back to the end of the trailer
• Directly behind the truck or trailer

Public safety officials often remind other drivers that if you cannot see the truck driver in his or her rear-view mirror, he or she cannot see you.

What is The “No Zone”?

A truck’s blind spot is sometimes referred to as the “No Zone,” meaning that other drivers should do what they can to minimize the time spent in the blind spot area.

Large trucks, especially tractor-trailers, are heavy and turn and change lanes slowly.

If you’re caught in the truck blind spot, you could be at serious risk of an accident.

It’s important that you do what you can to stay in the blind spot for as little time as possible.

“Reasonable Care” and Truck Blind Spot Accidents

Truck drivers are responsible for operating with “reasonable care” to minimize the potential for an accident. In general, truck drivers are required to check their blind spots in three situations:

• While braking
• While turning
• While changing lanes

How to Stay Safe in a Truck Blind Spot

If you must drive in a truck’s blind spot, follow these tips to stay safe and reduce the chances of an accident:

• Always use your turn signal when changing lanes, and signal early
• Pass as quickly as possible (but stay within the speed limit)
• If you cannot pass quickly, slow down until you are back within the truck driver’s view so they remain aware

Additionally, motorists are encouraged to avoid a truck’s right side when the truck is turning right. Large trucks, especially tractor-trailers, often cross into the other lane in order to complete a right turn.

Truck Blind Spots and Contributory Negligence

In North Carolina, the law of contributory negligence means that an injured person may be barred from recovering compensation if they are found to be partially responsible for the accident.

In blind spot crashes, the defendant or insurance company may attempt to argue that the other driver, for instance, stayed in the truck’s blind spot for too long, thereby potentially contributing to the accident.

The law of contributory negligence therefore makes it all the more important that those injured in truck blind spots accidents retain an experienced truck accident lawyer.

The consultation is free and you won’t pay any attorney fees unless we win your case and you receive financial compensation.

When are Truck Drivers At-Fault for Causing a Blind Spot Truck Accident?

A semi-truck has two sections, a tractor unit and one or more semi-trailers, so its blind spots are dynamic and change as it maneuvers on streets and highways. As a result, proving that a truck driver is at fault for a blind spot accident will depend on the facts of the accident. This might include how, when, and where the driver was operating the vehicle when the accident happened.

In semi-truck accident cases and lawsuits, we use all available evidence to establish how it happened. Our team may also analyze the actions that the truck driver and/or their employer could have taken to prevent a blind spot accident, such as:

• Regular training in recognizing blind spot accident hazards.
• Adjusting mirrors and using add-on blind spot mirrors and in-cab cameras to give the driver a better perspective on dynamic blind spots.
• Not violating the maximum hours an employee can work — designated by applicable regulations to eliminate fatigue that can lead to a blind spot accident.
• Reducing distractions that can draw attention away from blind spot hazards.
• Driving safely and within posted speed limits, given prevailing traffic conditions.

We also scrutinize the truck operator’s driving record to determine if there is a basis to claim that the driver’s employer is liable for negligent hiring and supervision. A breach of these and other safety standards will show that the driver and/or the employer was at fault for a blind spot accident.

Most truck drivers and their insurance carriers will attempt to shift at least a portion of the fault to the party that filed a truck accident claim. They may argue, for example, that the injured party was negligently driving in the truck’s blind spot for an extended period. However, we can anticipate and rebut that defense with other evidence showing that the injured party operated their car safely and was in a truck’s blind spot only for a limited time.

Have You Been Injured in a Blind Spot Truck Accident?

If you’ve been hurt in a blind spot accident involving a truck or tractor-trailer, our truck accident lawyers are ready to help. 

There is never any obligation and we don’t get paid unless you do. We work on a contingency basis, so you won’t pay any attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.

In more than 35 years serving the people of North Carolina, we’ve recovered millions of dollars in compensation for victims of truck accidents and surviving loved ones. In one recent case we handled, we secured $9.45 million in total compensation for the surviving relatives of a family of four killed in a terrible tractor-trailer accident (see disclaimer below).

Justice Counts for those injured in blind spot truck accidents and we would love to help you and your loved ones if we can.

*** Disclaimer: The results mentioned are intended to illustrate the type of cases handled by the firm. These results do not guarantee a similar outcome, and they should not be construed to constitute a promise or guarantee of a particular result in any particular case. Every case is different, and the outcome of any case depends upon a variety of factors unique to that case./