Do you know that checking your car’s blind spot can help prevent up to 50,000 crashes yearly? Consequently, you’ll be reducing blind spot accident injuries that are currently up to 16,000. So, in this article, an Atlanta, Georgia, car accident lawyer explains how to check for blind spots when driving.
Furthermore, suppose you get into an Atlanta blind spot accident. Then, it’ll be best to speak to an attorney. At The Weinstein Firm, our lawyers can get you compensation for your losses. This is because Georgia accident law allows you to sue the at-fault party and recover damages.
What Is a Blind Spot Accident? An Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer Explains
Blind spots are places around your car that the other driver cannot see. Sometimes, you can see these areas, but not clearly. Furthermore, you may need more than regular vehicle mirrors to help you see a blind spot correctly.
Usually, large vehicles have wider blind spots. That’s why large trucks and 18-wheelers have significant blind spots. However, other factors determine your car’s blind spots and how difficult it is to see the area.
For example, it’ll be challenging for large truck drivers to see small passenger vehicles like sedans in their blind spots. In addition, the sound of both cars will determine whether the driver can know another vehicle is in its blind spot.
How to Check for Blind Spots When Driving on Atlanta Roads
Knowing all vehicles have blind spots is one thing. However, knowing how to check for them is how you prevent crashes. You can follow the steps below to check your vehicle’s blind spots always:
- Indicate: Here, you need to show the other cars that you want to merge lanes or turn into another road. Ensure that you use the right signals for each action.
- Look at Your Mirrors: Your mirrors are the first means of looking for any vehicles in your blind spot.
- Make the Shoulder Glance: You can turn and check your blind spot over your shoulder. You can look back and search your surroundings through your back windows. It would help if you looked over your left and right shoulders.
- Confirm: Just like crossing the road, it’ll be best to look left, right, and left again to ensure that your blind spots are evident. But, again, don’t move without this confirmation.
Suppose you’ve taken these steps and your blind spots are free. Then, you can make the move you want. At this stage, you’ve done everything possible to check your blind spots. Therefore, any accidents that occur will most likely not be your fault.
When Should You Check Your Blind Spots?
If you’re driving in a straight line, you may not need to check your blind spots. But once you make any other moves, it’ll be best to confirm that there are no other vehicles in your blind spot.
Thus, you can check your car’s blind spot:
- When driving off from a fixed position
- At roundabouts and junctions
- When trying to merge or change lanes
- When overtaking other vehicles
Some vehicles have blind spot sensors and cameras. Such tech lets you stay alert of areas you ordinarily wouldn’t see. However, manually checking your blind spots is still a wise decision.
How to Reduce Blind Spot Accidents
Although vehicle blind spots are natural, you can prevent the resulting collisions. There are several safety gadgets for this purpose. In addition, being careful can protect you and other road users.
So, you can follow the steps below to avoid blind spot collisions.
Install Blind Spot Mirrors
Blind spot mirrors are specially built to allow you to see your car’s blind spots. Once you attach the mirrors to your car’s side mirrors, you can see your blind spots. With a perfect blind spot mirror, you can see everything you ordinarily cannot see with rear-view and side mirrors.
Watch Out for Others’ Blind Spots
Not many drivers are mindful of their blind spots. So, you have to drive bearing this fact in mind. Defensive driving is thus vital as you must watch out for your blind spots and those of other vehicles. This is usually necessary for cars in front of you, especially trucks.
Declutter Your Vehicle Mirrors
Blind spot mirrors can only do so much. Therefore, you must maximize your rear-view and side mirrors. Thus, ensure that nothing blocks your rear-view mirrors.
Items that can block your view include headrests or clothes hanging on the headrest. In addition, make sure that your side mirrors are clean. Dirty mirrors can blur your view, making it harder to see your blind spots.
Who Is Liable for an Atlanta Blind Spot Accident?
Georgia is a fault-based accident state. Therefore, you must establish who caused your blind spot collision. Only then can you recover compensation for your losses.
However, determining liability in an Atlanta blind spot accident can be challenging. The driver in the blind spot and the driver who couldn’t see the other vehicle could both be responsible for the crash. In addition, other parties may contribute to the collision. So, identifying the correct party is tricky.
The driver who had the blind spot is usually liable for an accident. No laws in Georgia prevent you from driving in another vehicle’s blind spot. Instead, such a driver has s legal duty not to endanger other road users. So, they’ll be liable if an accident occurs because they didn’t check their blind spots.
Relevant Pieces of Evidence for Establishing Liability in Blindspot Crashes
You cannot prove blindspot accident liability without solid evidence. Thus, knowing what types of evidence to collect and store is essential. Some of them include the following:
- CCTV recordings of the collision
- Eyewitness testimony
- Expert witnesses such as accident reconstructionists
- Photographic evidence of the crash site, especially skid marks on the road
- Pictures of the vehicles involved in the accident
What If I’m Partly Responsible for My Atlanta Blind Spot Accident?
Two or more drivers can contribute to a blind spot collision. For example, two drivers can merge lanes once without checking each other’s blind spots. Similarly, an over-speeding driver can crash into a car that swerved without checking its blind spots.
If this happens, Georgia’s comparative negligence rules will apply. This principle reduces your damages in proportion to your contribution to the accident. Therefore, you can only get 80% of your damages if you’re 20% responsible for the crash.
Call Our Atlanta, Georgia, Car Accident Lawyers After a Blind Spot Accident!
However careful you may be, blind spot collisions can still occur. When they do, you’ll incur significant medical and other bills. Therefore, you should consider claiming financial compensation.
Suppose a personal injury lawyer in Atlanta reviews your case and advises you to seek damages. Then, it’ll be best to follow this direction. At The Weinstein Firm, we’ve won several complicated car accident claims. So, we are confident of winning your case too. Call us today for a FREE case review.
