Beyond obeying local traffic laws and trucking regulations enforced by the federal government, long-haul truckers passing through Pennsylvania have a legal duty to pay attention to their surroundings and make sure they’re acting safely around other people and cars on the road. One especially important part of fulfilling this duty for a trucker is checking their blind spots—areas immediately around their truck that they can’t easily see from the driver’s seat—carefully before turning, changing lanes, or merging onto or off of a highway.
Unfortunately, not every truck driver acts responsibly to the degree that they should, and blind spot truck accidents in Bensalem are a common and dangerous outcome of that. When you are hurt in an auto accident caused by a truck driver not looking for you before they moved into your traffic lane, you should strongly consider talking to a respected truck accident lawyer about the possibility of a civil claim.
Where Are the Blind Spots on a Tractor-Trailer?
Every motor vehicle has blind spots in roughly the same places: right in front of the front bumper, right behind the back bumper, and on either side of the car, stretching out from the driver’s side and passenger side doors. However, semi-trucks are much bigger than the average commuter cars, so their blind spots are much bigger as well. For example, the blind spot in front of a truck’s front bumper can stretch up to 20 feet long, and the one behind the trailer’s rear bumper can stretch up to 30 feet and hide two entire vehicles from the driver’s view.
Likewise, the blind spots on the truck’s side are much bigger than normal as well. On the driver’s side, the blind spot extends most of the way down the truck’s trailer and a full lane of traffic out from the driver’s side door—once again, big enough to hide an entire commuter car from view. On the passenger side, the blind spot extends several feet beyond the back end of the trailer and as many as two full traffic lanes out from the side of the cab. All of these blind spots create a recipe for truck accidents that can and do cause serious injuries to Bensalem residents, all because one truck driver didn’t check their blind spots one time.
Holding a Truck Driver Liable for a Blind Spot Wreck
Even if what they did wasn’t as obviously illegal as something like speeding or driving drunk, truck drivers who cause crashes by not properly checking their blind spots have still breached their duty to act responsibly on the road. A breach of duty that directly causes an injury meets all the criteria for legal negligence. Proving negligence in this way is the legal basis for most successful lawsuits over blind spot wrecks or any other truck accident in Bensalem.
An individual truck driver isn’t the only person who could possibly hold civil liability for a wreck like this. For example, it’s often possible to hold trucking companies who hire irresponsible drivers vicariously liable for their employee’s misconduct, which can lead to a lot more money being available to pay for crash-related losses.
Talk to a Bensalem Attorney About a Blind Spot Truck Accident Claim
Blind spot truck accidents in Bensalem can begin and end in a matter of seconds, but the consequences of one can last for a lifetime. Fortunately, you have a right to demand civil restitution from anyone and everyone who played a role in causing a wreck like this, provided you can prove that their negligence directly led to you getting seriously hurt.
Help from a winning truck accident lawyer can make a world of difference in how effectively and efficiently you can pursue a civil claim built around this sort of incident. You won’t owe us anything until we win the compensation you deserve. Learn more by calling today.
