Blind Spots

Atlanta truck accident lawyer Stephen M. Ozcomert is a recognized “Super Lawyer” in personal injury law. Honored as a member of Georgia’s “Legal Elite,” Mr. Ozcomert combines 20 years of legal experience with a dedication to seeking justice in helping victims injured in truck accidents. These crashes often involve the truck driver’s negligence in failing to check blind spots.

Large semi-trucks and 18-wheelers have massive blind spots. Often called “No-Zones” for cars, smaller vehicles essentially disappear in these areas. Knowing the truck’s blind spots is critical to safely sharing the road these drivers. Blind spots around a truck include:

• Directly behind
• Beside right door
• Rear of last trailer
• Front and to the right
• Sides for several lanes

A useful rule of thumb is to always keep sight of the trucker’s mirrors. If the mirrors are not visible, neither are you. Because truck drivers cannot see vehicles near the sides and rear, blind spots cause serious accidents, which often involve:

• Tailgating
• Intoxication
• Swinging turns
• Insufficient buffers
• Sudden deceleration
• Passing on right turns
• Lane changes in front
• Late braking from cab
• Wind turbulence on side
• Unsafe passing from rear

Truck drivers depend on their mirrors to recognize neighboring vehicles, and require a very wide berth to stop or make turns. Because trucks take more time to accelerate and to stop, drivers should follow at a safe distance and avoid mistaking the front blind spot for an “opening.”

While some accidents are caused by impatient motorists, others can be avoided by safe truck drivers. Staying out of blind spots only reduces the risk of an accident, but does not protect passenger vehicles from being hit. Human errors cause over 87% of truck accidents and are beyond the victim’s control. Serious accidents caused by negligent truck drivers often involve:

• Speeding
• Cargo spills
• Driver fatigue
• Failure to yield
• Runaway trucks
• Distracted driving
• Mechanical failures
• Chemical spills, fires
• Acceleration downhill
• Unsecured, falling debris
• Hours-of-service violations

Operating a large truck is a profession that requires a commercial driver’s license. Well-trained drivers undergo extensive and often specialized training to enter the industry. Missing a vehicle in a blind spot often demonstrates negligence because it involves the driver’s violation of a legal duty to exercise due care. Commercial carriers are generally liable for the negligent acts of their drivers and Atlanta blind spot accident attorney Stephen M. Ozcomert can help in recovering the damages you deserve.

Because the trucking industry is governed by federal and state law, accidents involving a truck’s blind spots proceed differently than those involving passenger vehicles. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act imposes personal injury liability on parties employing the fleet of trucks operated by negligent drivers. Intoxication, fatigue, and distracted driving are all examples of careless conduct that could cause truckers to miss vehicles in a blind spot. When this negligence causes an accident, multiple parties and their insurers can potentially share in the liability for resulting injuries.

If you were injured in a truck accident involving a blind spot, Atlanta personal injury attorney Stephen M. Ozcomert can help. For over 20 years, his Atlanta and Decatur offices have provided high quality representation to truck accident victims injured through negligence. Stephen M. Ozcomert is dedicated to locating all potential sources of liability and fighting for the compensation you deserve. Call (404) 370-1000 for a free consultation or contact us online.