What is a Blindspot?
I am sure you have heard about it and experience it daily if you are driving a vehicle.The blindspots in a car is an area around the vehicle that cannot be directly observed by the driver directly in its front / peripheral view or indirectly in rear/ side view mirrors.
Blind spots can cause serious accidents if the driver misses an approaching vehicle, which is about to overtake or if the driver is overtaking any other vehicle or changing lane.
Blindspots and Size of Vehicle:
Every vehicle has blind spots, and their intensity and zones increase with the size of the car. Commercial vehicles like trailers, trucks, and buses have much larger blind zones. Drivers of SUVs and any other taller vehicle also experience much larger blind zones. Additionally, the height of the seat and the position that the driver is sitting can affect the severity of the blind spot.
Safety Features:
Due to advancements in active safety features like lane departure, and more precisely, the blind spot monitoring system, the risk of blind spot accidents is reduced. But there are some elementary rules which can be adopted to eliminate or minimize the blind spot issues without even having high-end monitoring system.
Setting of Side View Mirror:
We all tend to adjust our side-view mirrors in a manner that we should be able to see the trunk of the car. The fact is doing so increases the blind spot region, and it’s not the appropriate and correct position.
The side-view mirrors are not there to see the rear edge of your car. It is there to give you a visual of the objects right next to your car.
Practical Application:
I have shared some images (left-hand drive but the concept is the same) of a car parked next to an SUV, and you can see that how an improper side view settings (positioned to see the edge on the own vehicle) results in large blindspots. In a real case scenario, if both vehicles are on a highway and in motion, there is a due chance of collision.
Following are the examples of Before and After Blindspot Glare Elimination (BGE) settings:
Before:
After:
Safety Measures to Avoid Blindspot:
The side and rearview mirrors do not give you a real indication of the distance of the other vehicle you are observing in the mirrors. It is always the best idea to change lane/ overtake when you have enough spacing to the speed you and the other vehicle is moving. A quick shoulder check is also recommended.
Large Vehicles and BlindSpots:
Also, keep in mind, never drive in someone’s Blindspots. This is of very high importance when you are driving next to a truck, trailer, or buses as there are very more significant dead zones. Never ever drive along with these large vehicles. I personally experienced an accident a few years ago when a long tractor-trailer almost crushed my car just because the truck driver didn’t see my car as I was in his blindspots.
Round Blindsport Mirror:
Some people also use a small round blind spot mirror (available in the market/ auto store) pasted at one edge on the side view mirror. These are convex mirrors and increase the field of view and also a useful gadget.
By following just simple steps for adjusting the side and rearview mirror will reduce or eliminate the blind spots. Adjust your side view mirror as per BGE & share your experiences.
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