Be Aware when You’re in Other’s Blind Spots

It goes without saying that being aware of your blind spots while driving is of the utmost importance to anyone that wants to practice defensive driving and be as safe as possible when on the road. It’s especially important if you’re driving a car that is new or unfamiliar to you, as blind spots vary greatly from vehicle to vehicle. But how often do you consider whether or not you’re in the blind spots of other drivers? It’s probably not as often as it should be.

Defensive driving is all about not giving other drivers the benefit of the doubt and reacting accordingly. This means that you can’t assume that your fellow drivers are paying close attention to where you’re at on the road, especially relative to their blind spots. They might not be very considerate of you anyway, but if they can’t see you, they’re certainly not going to give you much consideration. You need to be cognizant of situations when it’s possible another driver might not be aware of your presence and give them the necessary space so that their lack of awareness doesn’t result in an accident.

One of the most basic rules you can remember when it comes to the blind spots of semis and other larger vehicles is that if you can’t see their mirrors, they can’t see you. When you’re following one of these big trucks too closely, you’ll disappear from the range of vision provided by their mirrors. Once you notice that, you should alter your speed so that they can see you and then pass when appropriate.