If someone’s in your blind spot and you get into an accident, you may wonder who is at fault. Is it yours, because it was your blindspot? Or is it theirs, because you couldn’t see them?
Like any other type of personal injury case, determining liability in blind spot accidents can be challenging. A personal injury attorney will be able to help you with your case. That said, here’s some basic information about blind spot accidents, factors involved with determining fault, and tips to reduce your likelihood of being in such an accident.
About Blind Spot Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported an estimated 840,000 blind spot accidents in the United States each year, with approximately 300 fatalities.
Your blind spot is the area that you cannot see with your mirrors or eyes while driving, aside from turning your head and looking away from the road ahead. These types of accidents occur when one or multiple drivers fail to notice another vehicle in their blind spot and collide.
In many cases, these crashes involve large trucks, as the bigger the vehicle, the bigger the blind spot. However, any vehicle is susceptible to these types of accidents.
Common Causes Of Blind Spot Accidents
There are a few common causes of blind spot accidents.
- Lane changes. This is the most common cause of blind spot accidents. If a driver is negligent and fails to check their side mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes, they can get into an accident.
- Merging. Merging onto highways often involves accelerating at high speeds. You must be very careful of your blindspots when merging. The bigger your vehicle, the more mindful you need to be.
- Reversing. When you’re backing up, you could accidentally hit someone passing by. While newer cars have rear-view cameras to help avoid this, you still must be very careful to avoid hitting another car, pedestrian, or cyclist.
Determining Fault With Blind Spots
In most cases, the driver who had the blind spot is found to be at-fault for blind spot accidents. However, this is not always the case. It comes down to negligence and violation of traffic laws.
If a blind spot accident occurs while a driver is changing lanes, they will likely be the at-fault party, as they did not have the right-of-way. However, if two vehicles were merging into the same lane at the same lane, fault can be harder to determine. This usually depends on which driver began merging first.
There will be an investigation and review of the evidence in order to determine fault. In order to prove fault and obtain compensation, you need to be able to show that the other driver’s negligence is what resulted in the accident.
Do Blind Spot Monitors Help Reduce Accidents?
Yes, blind spot monitors do help reduce accidents, but they are not foolproof. They usually have a minimum speed that they can detect other vehicles at. They can also have a maximum speed, which means if someone speeds, it might not detect the vehicle. Blind spot monitors can also struggle to detect smaller vehicles, such as motorcycles.
As such, even if your car has blind spot monitors, you still need to be mindful of your blind spots and check them in order to avoid accidents.
Tips To Reduce Your Likelihood Of Being In A Blind Spot Accident
Avoiding accidents is a two-way street. Yes, you need to do everything you can to follow traffic laws and drive safely. However, other drivers on the road must also do the same thing in order to prevent accidents. That said, here are some tips to reduce your likelihood of being in an accident.
- Check your blind spots before changing lanes, merging, or backing up.
- Be aware of other vehicles’ blind spots. The bigger the vehicle, the bigger their blind spots.
- Adjust your mirrors so they are in the correct position before heading out.
- Use a blind spot warning system. While not foolproof, they can help.
- Keep a distance. Don’t cut it close when changing lanes or merging and be sure not to tailgate.
- Keep your windows clear.
- Assume that other drivers cannot see you.
Were You Injured In A Blind Spot Accident?
LeBaron & Jensen provides representation for injured victims of other people’s negligence. If you were injured because someone else was negligent and you were in a blind spot accident, you may be eligible for compensation. Contact us today to schedule a case consultation.
