Driving a vehicle is an immense responsibility that comes with a legal duty to operate the car in a manner that is safe, prudent and follows New Mexico’s traffic laws. One of these responsibilities is to be aware of a vehicle’s blind spots and how to work around them. Unfortunately, not all drivers handle this risk appropriately. The outcome can be a life-changing automobile accident.
If you get hurt in a blind spot accident in New Mexico, it can benefit you to hire an Albuquerque, NM car accident attorney to represent you during your claim.
What Are a Vehicle’s Blind Spots?
A “blind spot” on a vehicle refers to an area of the road that is not visible to the driver in his or her windows, windshield, or rearview or side mirrors. Blind spots are dangerous because a driver may not be aware of the presence of other vehicles, objects, or road users such as bicyclists and pedestrians in the “blind” areas. This can result in the driver making an unsafe maneuver that causes a car accident.
Certain types of vehicles have larger blind spots than others. The most notable example is an 18-wheeler or big rig. The length of a semi-truck that is hauling a trailer creates large blind spots on all four sides of the truck, severely limiting the truck driver’s visibility of the surrounding roadway. These areas are what the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration refers to as the “No Zone” as a warning for other drivers to stay out of them.
Who Is at Fault for a Blind Spot Accident?
Determining liability, or legal responsibility, for a blind spot accident in New Mexico can be difficult. In general, fault will lie with the driver who was experiencing the blind spot, as he or she had a legal responsibility to check hidden areas of the road before merging, changing lanes, turning or reversing.
If a driver does not take proper precautions to prevent a blind spot collision, he or she can typically be held liable. Drivers can counteract blind spots with techniques such as looking over their shoulders instead of relying solely on mirrors, using assistive technology to determine if someone is in the blind spot, and changing lanes slowly and prudently.
Common Causes of Blind Spot Collisions
The existence of a blind spot is never the sole cause of a car accident. Drivers are expected to be aware of a vehicle’s blind spots and to adjust to them accordingly to prevent collisions. Blind spot accidents occur when a driver is negligent, or fails to take proper care to account for visibility limitations.
Common causes include:
- Changing lanes hastily or without checking
- Improperly passing on a shoulder
- Another car lingering in a car or truck’s blind spot
- Failing to safely merge onto a highway
- Backing up without looking
These errors are often made due to driver negligence such as speeding, intoxication, drowsy driving, reckless or aggressive driving, and road rage. If a driver is careless when changing lanes or sharing the road with others, he or she can be held legally accountable for a resultant blind spot accident in New Mexico.
When to Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in New Mexico
Blind spots can lead to car accidents such as sideswipe collisions, a driver veering off the road or into another lane to try to avoid a crash, and fatal accidents involving less visible road users, such as motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians.
An insurance company may try to blame you for the accident instead of accepting liability for the mistakes of its policyholder.
Blind spot accidents can involve a lot of “he-said, she-said” accusations, especially if they involve a driver changing lanes. An attorney can help you gather real evidence to support your claim and maximize your financial recovery as much as possible.