It should make you uncomfortable
if you are driving in other drivers' blind spots! Virtually
all vehicles have blind areas—even motorcycles. (Motorcyclists
are sometimes limited in how far they can twist their head
to look behind them.) Yet, some drivers habitually change
lanes without checking their blind areas for other vehicles.
It's a good idea to adjust your position relative to other
traffic to stay out of other drivers' blind spots whenever
you can.
Where are your blind spots? That depends
on the vehicle. A car typically has blind areas at the sides
near the rear of the vehicle, meaning you cannot see anything
in these areas by looking in your correctly-adjusted mirrors.
Other vehicles may be blind to anything that is directly behind.
Vehicles in which the driver sits very high may have forward-quarter
blind spots—they may not be able to see anything low
to the ground in front or to the sides near the front.
It is important to check your mirrors
every 5 to 8 seconds while driving. At the same time, it's
not enough just to check the mirrors. If you've been
driving long, you already know the blind areas on most vehicles
are large enough to hide other vehicles. Mirrors also will
not reveal a vehicle that is changing lanes from two lanes
away. Example: You are driving in the right hand lane of a
multi-lane roadway, and signal to change lanes to the left.
Another vehicle in the third lane changes lanes to the right.
Both of you may be trying to occupy the same place in the
second lane. And it is always possible that a lane that was
clear of other traffic just a second ago may quickly be occupied—traffic
is often fast-moving and fluid—and empty spaces tend
to fill up. It is very important to turn your head and look
before making a lane change.
Tractor-trailer rigs have their own particular
blind spots. These trucks are "articulated"—they
"bend" in the middle. If you can picture a turning
semi from above, as it jackknifes around a corner, you'll
see that the side mirrors are the only rearward vision the
driver has. As the tractor heads into the turn, the side mirror
on the side to which the truck is turning has a view only
of the side of the truck's trailer. His other mirror (away
from the turn direction) is pointing off to the side, into
space. In this situation, the driver cannot see anything happening
directly behind him unless he sticks his head out and looks.
Also, it is possible to "hide" completely behind
the trailer of a large truck. Some drivers do this in order
to "draft," using the suction created behind the
semi to save on gas. It is not a brilliant idea to drive so
close to the rear of a vehicle you can't see around or over
when the driver may not even know you are there. When driving
near large trucks, always try to make sure you are visible
to the driver. If you can see his face in his side-view mirrors,
he can see you, too.
Finally, remember that even parked vehicles
have blind areas. Kids often play around cars. Before
you start up and back out of your driveway, take a quick turn
around the vehicle to make sure nothing, living or inanimate,
is under or behind your wheels.
<Rule
#16: Always Signal Your Intentions!
Rule #18: Avoid
Distractions!
