@pixabay.comEver heard of the expression: “To look over one's shoulder”?
It’s a popular idiom, which means to constantly worry that something bad or harmful might happen to you. Ironically, this phrase offers a more positive meaning when it comes to driving, because “to look over your shoulder,” especially for those elusive blind spots, can literally prevent something bad or harmful from happening to you. Blind spots, by themselves, are harmless, but they can be really dangerous if you take them for granted.
A blind spot is an area of the road that you can’t see when you look into your car’s mirrors. They almost have an infamous and almost mystical reputation among drivers, since they're nearly impossible to get rid of.
Many people often think of blind spots as those areas on their side wing mirrors that's not normally seen. These "blind zones" require them to literally turn their shoulders, upper torso and head behind to see if the path is clear.
But blind spots actually extend farther than that. According to the National Roads and Motorists' Association, they are "anything where a view is obstructed." And these obstructions can include door pillars, seats, mirrors, and even your entire vehicle itself.
@www.nemetugyek.deBlind spot accidents are actually a common occurrence, and the number one cause is human error. Oftentimes, drivers are also tired, distracted, reckless, impatient, and/or intoxicated. And if you mix in some common environmental factors like insufficient lighting, unruly drivers, bad roads, or stubborn pedestrians, then you've got a recipe for disaster.
There are four situations where blind spots can cause serious accidents and death. They include the following:
There are cases where huge objects can be an obstruction, especially if you're driving and approaching an intersection. A blind spot created by a big, stationary object like a large tree or even a traffic sign board can shift places and angles as you drive down the road. And they can easily obstruct your view of a person at that point in time. So really, it's easy to overlook a small kid crossing the pedestrian when just a second earlier, you could’ve sworn you didn't even see the child there.
Who would ever think that making left turns can cause a lot of accidents?
Drivers making left turns in intersections are a case in point. As a rule, pedestrians have the right of way even when a car is turning. But this isn't always the case. The Philippines doesn't always have a pedestrian scramble in its traffic system like this one:
https://i.ytimg.com/So those who cross the street in busy intersections often have to contend with cars coming from different roads and lanes. And this includes vehicles making a left turn.
According to NPR, one of the biggest problems with making a left turn is that when a driver looks forward, there's often a pillar just to the left portion of the windshield. Known as the the A-Pillar, they can cause trouble just by their size and shape alone.
Over the years, A-pillars have gotten bigger and thicker to help reinforce modern cars during rollovers. They've also become wider to house the curtain airbags. And while this increases safety, its disadvantage is that it creates more blind spots, which makes it harder for drivers to see what's outside their cars.
Making a left turn can be a problem here, since the driver's line of vision on his side is narrower. They don't see people walking or crossing the street nearby, or some misjudge their turns and hit a person accidentally.
Another blind spot that occurs when making a left lane turn is when there’s moving traffic. If you make a left turn with the thought of clearing the intersection, the chances of a collision can happen should you fail to check your blind spot for possible vehicles coming from the outside (or even the inside) lanes.
Many automobile collisions occur because of changing lanes. And the most common accident here is sideswipe collision. This type occurs when a car crashes into another vehicle while changing lanes. Here's an example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfS8iz2NaLE
Also called blind spot or lane change accident, sideswipes are often seen as minor accidents. However, there are some cases where they can prove to be dangerous, especially when they involve larger vehicles like trucks. Believe us, it doesn't take a lot to crush a compact car that has been sideswiped by a ten-wheeler.
The area behind a car has a lot of blind zones, especially when you're viewing it from the driver's seat. Unfortunately, these blind zones have increased over the years, especially with larger cars like the minivan, SUV, or pickup. Why? Because these vehicles often create bigger blind spots due to their shorter rear glasses, thicker pillars and higher rear decks.
Just how large are these blind spots? According to Consumer Report, an average height driver (who measures around 5 feet and 8 inches) and a short driver (around 5 feet and 1 inch) encountered the following blind zones depending on the car's size:
https://www.consumerreports.orgTheir studies reveal that the bigger the car, the longer the blind spot it created. What's more, short drivers are at a disadvantage here, since their blind spots almost double in length compared to taller drivers.
https://www.consumerreports.org/The most common victims of this type of blind spot accident are children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. But according to Consumer Report, children make up most of the casualties and death rate--around 70%.
@pexels.comBlind spot accidents can be fatal from time to time, but the good news is that it only takes a bit of effort, common sense, and discipline on your part to prevent it from happening.
The good news is that backup cameras can help avoid back-up collisions. The bad news is that not all cars have them--especially if you're driving an old vehicle.
It’s the same when it comes to blind spot detectors (or even lane departure warning systems). Some car manufacturers, like Ford, Volvo, and Audi, are offering really good blind spot detection systems in the market today. Notice, however, that they’re expensive cars. In reality, most mainstream car brands don’t offer this except for their higher variants, and they can be quite costly. And most cars--especially the used ones, don't have them at all.
Blind spot monitors are at their best when used for highway driving (and speeds). However, not all work accurately when it comes to extremely fast or slow-moving vehicles. Some may not even detect motorcycles and even slow-moving pedestrians. So while blind spot monitors and other technology enhancements are extremely helpful, it's still best to go "old school" and just look over your shoulder and surroundings from time to time.
This also includes your back and passenger seats. Don't place tall or huge objects that can limit your field of vision.
If you don't have a rear view camera, and your vision is obstructed, then it's always best to step out of your car and check behind the rear. That way, you're sure no one's there when you do a reverse.
Always keep a good distance, and don't linger in another driver's side blind spots, especially when they're already signalling that they're switching lanes.
Think you're adjusting your side mirrors correctly? This might come as a shock to you, but you're probably doing it wrong.
The right way is to turn out your side mirrors far enough to see the entire width of the lanes beside you. But that's not all. Here's a great article by Car and Driver and the University of Kansas Transportation Center for Rural Transit Providers that you should definitely read. They will change your entire view of how to use your side mirrors correctly.
We also recommend this excellent video just to cover all the basics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIkodlp8HMM
Copyright © Carmudi 2014-2024. All Rights Reserved.
