A blind spot is an area around a vehicle where the driver cannot see, or otherwise finds it difficult to see. For example, it isn’t possible for the driver of a car to see their front bumper, so there is a blind spot there. For lorries, blind spots are enhanced due to vehicle size.
A truck driver has four main blind spots, although these blind spots alter slightly according to side mirror adjustment. The blind spots are as follows:
1. Two feet in front of the truck between the window and ground
2. Directly to the left of the truck off-centre
3. Directly to the right of the truck off-centre
4. Directly behind the truck up to nine feet away
Here’s an image showing the blind spots on a truck or HGV:
Any vehicle travelling within one of the red zones illustrated above will be in the truck’s blind spot. It is also important to remember that you will always pass through one of those red zones when driving past a truck. They are unavoidable. However, you should try and get through them as quickly as possible to prevent any possible accidents.
Related: What is a safe following distance for a truck?
Blind spots also reduce if a truck isn’t towing a trailer. The illustration above still applies to trucks not towing a trailer, but the blind spots aren’t as prominent. For this reason, you should still drive with safety in mind when passing and overtaking trucks without a trailer.
Overcoming blind spots
It isn’t possible to completely eradicate blind spots with a truck, but it is possible to reduce them. The best way to do this is with multiple mirrors on the side of the truck, which will improve the driver’s field of view. These can be tilted in various direction to ensure that no vehicles driving past remain unseen for long.
One of the most popular mirror modifications is to install one directly above the driver’s door, so that the driver can see directly below them. This can prevent side-swiping, which is common on motorways and dual-carriageways when changing lane.
Another method of overcoming blind spots is to install distance sensors which beep when they detect a vehicle at the side of a truck. However, these are not as popular as mirror improvements because they cost more and they are less reliable. Some trucks do now have blind spot monitors from the factory. These systems give off an audial and visual alert when they detect a vehicle in a truck’s blind spot.
