Portland Truck Accident Attorney

Tips to Avoid A Truck Accident
For Bicycle, Car Drivers, Motorcycle Riders and Pedestrians

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Semi Truck Driver "Blind Spots"
Identify The "Danger Zones"

The problem is also the "danger zone" because of the height of the semi truck normally, the driver's line of site is impeded in a literal area around the semi. It is helpful to understand this challenge for a driver of a large vehicle, even a bus, so that pedestrians and bicyclists ride defensively and ride to a position of being more visible. Of course, there are those times, bicycle commuters will know, that you just get stuck in less than fortunate positions in traffic.

Above the yellow shaded region is in the truck driver's blind spot. The motorcycle is positioned in an otherwise great spot, but in the front right corner of the semi truck, the driver actually can't see the motorcycle rider. Try to avoid this position but in an urban situation you may get stuck in this position. If you do get into this type of position in congested traffic, try to move to a better visibility spot and ride defensively.

A good rule in general is to make eye contact with the driver. In these views of the direct vision blind spots, the bicycle rider would also have difficulty seeing the truck driver. Just move to where you feel more visible and you can also see the truck driver more easily.

All of the shaded region above is more than likely impeded direct line of site for the truck driver.

We are often told to take up the whole lane to be safer and more visible. It wouldn't matter if the motorcycle or bicycle took up the whole lane in this shaded danger zone or stayed to the right and shoulder, the truck driver has an impeded line of site because of the truck's height and girth. The bottom line is that this is a move and a position that motorcycles and bicycles have to do in commuter traffic congestion but it puts them at risk. A motorcycle or bicycle rider can stay safer if they are aware of the risky positions in traffic and thus can take action to maneuver to safer positions. The driver in the above picture is in a tall semi truck and diesel engines are big, and can be much broader in width and length than normal vehicles that we drive .. Thus the above illustration shows that that the driver has to see out and around this large mechanical beast sometimes a significant and deadly obstruction.s

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