You are driving alongside a semi-truck on the highway when it suddenly moves into your lane, slamming into your car as though you did not exist. From the truck driver perspective, you may have been completely invisible—hidden in one of the massive blind spots that surround every commercial truck. These blind spots, called no-zones in trucking industry terminology, are areas around the truck where the driver simply cannot see other vehicles, no matter how carefully they check their mirrors.
But while truck blind spots are real physical phenomena created by the size and configuration of commercial vehicles, they do not excuse drivers from responsibility for crashes that proper precautions could have prevented. Professional truck drivers receive extensive training on managing blind spots safely, and federal regulations require specific equipment designed to minimize no-zone dangers. When drivers or trucking companies fail to take the precautions that could prevent blind spot accidents, they bear full legal responsibility for the consequences.
Understanding Truck No-Zones
Commercial trucks have blind spots that are dramatically larger than those on passenger vehicles. Understanding where these blind spots exist helps explain how accidents happen and why drivers should have done more to prevent them.
The right side no-zone is the largest and most dangerous, extending across two or more traffic lanes and running nearly the entire length of the trailer. This blind spot exists because trucks do not have a right-side rearview mirror that provides the same visibility a car mirror does. A vehicle traveling in the lane to the right of a truck can be completely invisible to the driver, even if the driver checks all available mirrors. This makes right-side lane changes and right turns particularly hazardous maneuvers.
The left side no-zone is smaller than the right but still extends across approximately one full lane alongside the cab. While the truck driver-side mirror provides some visibility, there is a zone roughly from the middle of the cab to the front of the trailer where vehicles can disappear from view.
The front no-zone extends approximately 20 feet directly ahead of the truck cab. Unlike passenger cars, where drivers sit near the front of the vehicle with a clear view of the road immediately ahead, truck drivers sit behind a large engine compartment and elevated cab that blocks visibility of anything directly in front of them at close range.
The rear no-zone extends approximately 200 feet behind the trailer—far greater than most passenger vehicle drivers realize. Because trailers do not have rear windows, truck drivers have absolutely no direct visibility of what is behind them. They rely entirely on side mirrors, which have significant gaps and provide limited ability to judge the distance and speed of following vehicles.
Why Blind Spots Do Not Excuse Negligent Driving
Trucking companies and their insurance representatives often use blind spots as a defense in accident cases, arguing that the driver simply could not see the vehicle they struck and therefore should not be held responsible. This argument fails because professional truck drivers are trained specifically to compensate for their vehicles limited visibility, and federal regulations require them to take precautions that would prevent most blind spot accidents.
Drivers are trained to check all mirrors before any lane change or turn—not just a quick glance, but a thorough scan of all mirror positions. They are taught to be aware of traffic patterns and to mentally track where other vehicles are located even when those vehicles are temporarily out of mirror view. When approaching maneuvers like lane changes or turns, properly trained drivers adjust speed to allow time for proper mirror checks and create opportunities for vehicles in blind spots to become visible.
Federal regulations and industry standards establish clear expectations for safe blind spot management. Drivers must signal lane changes and turns well in advance, giving other motorists warning and time to react. They must not change lanes or turn unless they have confirmed their intended path is clear. When mirrors do not provide adequate visibility for a maneuver, the proper procedure is Getting Out And Looking (GOAL)—physically exiting the cab to verify clearance before proceeding.
Modern trucks often have additional equipment specifically designed to reduce blind spot dangers. Convex mirrors expand the field of view beyond what flat mirrors provide. Cross-view mirrors mounted on the hood show the area immediately beside and in front of the cab. Many newer trucks have camera systems that display blind spot areas on in-cab monitors. Radar-based warning systems alert drivers when vehicles enter their blind spots. Trucking companies that fail to equip vehicles with available safety technology may be liable for choosing cost savings over safety when preventable accidents occur.
Common Blind Spot Accident Scenarios
Blind spot accidents follow recognizable patterns that experienced investigators can identify and analyze to establish liability.
Lane change collisions occur when a truck moves into an adjacent lane occupied by a vehicle the driver failed to see. These accidents typically happen when drivers fail to check mirrors thoroughly before changing lanes, when they misjudge the position or speed of vehicles in adjacent lanes, or when they assume a clear path rather than confirming it. The truck typically strikes the other vehicle in a sideswiping motion, often pushing the smaller vehicle toward the road edge or into other traffic.
Right turn accidents are particularly dangerous because trucks must swing wide to complete right turns, and the right side has the largest blind spot. A truck initiating a right turn may not see a vehicle positioned to its right, resulting in the trailer sweeping into and crushing the smaller vehicle against the curb or trapping it against adjacent obstacles. Never position yourself to the right of a truck at an intersection—this is the most dangerous location around any commercial vehicle.
Merge accidents happen when trucks enter highways or change lanes on multilane roads without properly yielding to vehicles in the target lane. A merging truck may not see a vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane, especially if that vehicle is in the driver left blind spot zone, resulting in a collision as the truck moves into occupied space.
Proving Blind Spot Accident Liability
Evidence that demonstrates the driver failed to take proper precautions establishes negligence and creates liability for blind spot accidents.
Witness testimony from other drivers or passengers can establish whether the truck driver signaled the lane change or turn, whether there was adequate time for the maneuver, and whether the driver appeared to check mirrors before moving. Witness observations that the driver was looking at a phone, eating, or otherwise distracted support claims that inadequate attention caused the failure to see the victim vehicle.
Electronic data from the truck may reveal whether turn signals were activated and for how long before the maneuver, providing objective evidence of whether proper warning was given. Engine control module data may show speed and steering inputs that help reconstruct exactly how the accident occurred.
Damage patterns on the vehicles reveal the angle and timing of impact. A sideswipe pattern where the damage starts at the front corner of the car and extends backward indicates the truck moved into the car lane, while damage starting at the rear of the car might suggest the car was moving into the truck path. Accident reconstruction experts analyze these patterns to determine fault.
Protecting Yourself Around Trucks
While truck drivers bear responsibility for managing their blind spots safely, passenger vehicle drivers can reduce their risk by understanding no-zones and driving defensively around commercial vehicles.
Never linger alongside a truck—either pass completely or drop back to a position where you are clearly visible in the driver mirrors. The longer you remain in a blind spot, the greater the chance the driver will forget you are there or assume you have moved.
Maintain visibility by staying where you can see the truck driver face in their side mirror. If you cannot see the driver mirrors, the driver almost certainly cannot see you. This simple rule helps you identify when you are in a dangerous position.
Allow extra following distance behind trucks. The rear blind spot extends much farther than many drivers realize, and following too closely puts you in a position where the truck driver has no idea you are there. Maintaining distance also gives you more time to react if the truck slows suddenly or debris falls from the vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Truck blind spots, called no-zones, are areas around a commercial truck where the driver cannot see other vehicles. There are four major blind spots: the front no-zone (20+ feet ahead), the rear no-zone (30+ feet behind the trailer), the left-side no-zone (one lane along the truck's length), and the massive right-side no-zone (two or more lanes wide extending the full length of the truck). The right side is where most blind spot accidents occur because it's the largest area of limited visibility.
Yes, in most cases. Truck drivers are trained to manage their blind spots through proper mirror adjustment, frequent mirror checks, adequate signaling, and clearing blind spots before lane changes. The existence of blind spots is a known limitation that professional drivers must account for. A driver who changes lanes without taking proper precautions to ensure the lane is clear is negligent regardless of blind spot limitations. You have the right to drive in lanes alongside trucks—it's the truck driver's responsibility to verify the lane is empty before moving.
Evidence can include witness testimony about the truck's sudden lane change, dashcam footage from your or others' vehicles, whether the truck signaled adequately before changing lanes, the truck's electronic data showing how quickly the lane change occurred, and any evidence of driver distraction (like cell phone records). Accident reconstruction experts can analyze the evidence to determine whether a properly attentive driver would have detected your vehicle. The circumstances of the crash itself may suggest the driver failed to check—a sudden lane change without signaling indicates inadequate precautions.
Call 911 and seek medical attention even if injuries seem minor. Document everything: photograph all vehicles, damage, the lane configuration, and any visible injuries. Get witness contact information. Note whether the truck signaled before the lane change. Do not admit fault or speculate about what happened. Obtain the police report. Be cautious with trucking company representatives who contact you—their job is to minimize the company's liability, not help you. Consider consulting a truck accident attorney before giving any statements or accepting settlement offers.
In most states, yes. Most states follow comparative negligence rules that reduce your compensation by your percentage of fault rather than eliminating it. Being in a blind spot is usually not negligence at all—you're allowed to drive alongside trucks, and traffic often makes avoiding blind spots impossible. The truck driver's duty to check before changing lanes exists regardless of where other vehicles are positioned. Even if you bear some fault, you can typically still recover substantial compensation for your injuries.
Conclusion
Truck blind spots are real, but they do not excuse negligent driving that causes accidents. Professional truck drivers are trained to compensate for limited visibility through mirror management, proper signaling, and careful maneuvering techniques. Modern trucks can be equipped with cameras, sensors, and additional mirrors that significantly reduce blind spot dangers. When drivers fail to use proper techniques, and when trucking companies fail to provide adequate equipment and training, they bear responsibility for the crashes that result.
If a truck driver struck your vehicle in a blind spot accident, contact an attorney to investigate whether proper precautions were taken. Evidence of inadequate mirror checks, failure to signal, distraction, or insufficient equipment can establish liability and support your claim for compensation.