A vehicle merges onto I-70 in Missouri as a semi-truck moves into an adjacent lane. Without warning, a collision occurs, often because the truck driver was unaware of the vehicle’s presence. Accidents like these are common with large commercial trucks. Due to limited visibility around the cab and trailer, smaller vehicles can be momentarily undetectable, even when both drivers are exercising caution. In many cases, the truck driver may be held liable due to their heightened duty to monitor surrounding traffic.
A Missouri truck accident lawyer at Buchanan, Williams & O’Brien, P.C. can help injured Missourians by identifying all liable parties and pursuing the full recovery the law allows. Understanding how these crashes occur and how fault is determined under Missouri law can make a big difference in how much compensation you can recover for your injuries and other damages.
What Is a Blind Spot Accident Involving a Truck?
A blind spot accident occurs when a truck driver cannot see another vehicle because it’s positioned in an area not visible through the mirrors or direct line of sight.
What Are Truck Blind Spots?
With passenger cars, blind spots are relatively small. With semi-trucks and 18-wheelers, they can extend across multiple lanes and several car lengths.
Truck blind spots include:
- The area directly in front of the cab, where a smaller vehicle may be too low to appear within the driver’s line of sight
- The area immediately behind the trailer, which can extend 30 feet or more
- Both sides of the truck, especially the right side, which typically has a much larger blind spot than the left.
Because these blind spots are well known and predictable, truck drivers have a duty to check them carefully; failure to do so may constitute negligence if a crash occurs.
Why Do Truck Blind Spot Accidents Occur?
According to federal crash data, many truck collisions occur during lane changes, merges, or passing maneuvers involving other vehicles. While passenger vehicles may make sudden moves, it is the responsibility of commercial drivers, who operate multi-ton vehicles with known visibility limitations, to anticipate traffic patterns and maintain safe following distances. When trucking companies fail to provide proper training or push unrealistic schedules, the risk of these high-impact crashes increases.
Truck Blind Spots: Key Facts and Common Myths
Truck drivers undergo extensive CDL training that includes mirror checks, lane-change protocols, and blind spot awareness, but no system is perfect. Additional factors that can further limit a truck driver’s visibility include cargo shifts, construction zones, driver fatigue, heavy traffic, poorly maintained mirrors, trailer size, and adverse weather conditions.
Key Facts
Here are a few key facts:
- Modern mirrors and cameras reduce blind spots, but they do not eliminate them.
- Truck drivers receive training on blind spot awareness and are expected to account for these limitations.
- Federal safety data shows that passenger vehicle occupants are more likely to be seriously injured or killed in crashes involving large trucks, even when they are not primarily at fault.
Common Myths
One of the most persistent myths about truck blind spot accidents is that the smaller vehicle is always to blame for staying in close proximity to a commercial truck. While it’s true that drivers should avoid riding alongside large trucks, the law does not automatically blame the car driver in a blind spot accident.
Another misconception is that if a truck driver says, “I didn’t see them,” the case is over. However, failing to see a vehicle often points to negligence, especially if the driver failed to check mirrors properly, ignored warning systems, or made an unsafe maneuver in heavy traffic.
Understanding these facts matters because blind spot accident claims often hinge on what the driver should have seen or anticipated, not just what they claim to have seen.
Who Is at Fault in a Blind Spot Accident?
The answer depends on the specific facts of the crash. In Missouri, fault is determined under a comparative fault system, meaning more than one party can share responsibility.
In some truck blind spot accidents, the truck driver may be at fault for:
- Changing lanes without ensuring the lane was clear
- Failing to use turn signals or signaling too late
- Driving while fatigued or distracted
- Ignoring blind spot monitoring alerts
However, liability does not always stop with the driver. In many cases, the trucking company may share fault. Employers can be responsible for negligent hiring, inadequate training, unrealistic delivery schedules, or failure to maintain safety equipment.
Identifying All Responsible Parties
There are also situations where other parties may be liable, such as:
- A maintenance contractor who failed to repair mirrors or cameras
- A cargo loading company that improperly loaded freight, causing instability that made the truck harder to control during lane changes or merges
- A truck or component manufacturer, if a design defect contributed to the blind spot accident
- Because multiple parties can be involved, determining who is at fault in a blind spot accident often requires a detailed investigation.
How Missouri Law Handles Truck Blind Spot Accidents
Missouri is an at-fault state, meaning injured drivers must prove another party was responsible to recover compensation. This is especially important in truck blind spot accidents, where insurance companies may attempt to shift blame onto the smaller vehicle.
Missouri follows a pure comparative fault rule. Even if you are partially responsible for a blind spot accident, you may still recover compensation, reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were found 20% at fault, you could still recover 80% of your damages.
This system also means that evidence matters. Police reports, dashcam footage, electronic logging device (ELD) data, truck maintenance records, and witness statements can all play a role in determining liability for a truck accident.
Why Determining Truck Accident Liability Is So Complex
Truck accident liability is rarely straightforward, and blind spot accidents are a prime example. Unlike a typical car crash, these cases often involve commercial insurance policies, corporate defendants, and federal safety regulations.
Insurers may argue that the passenger vehicle was in the truck’s blind spot for too long or made an unsafe move. At the same time, trucking companies may distance themselves from the driver, claiming the driver acted independently.
A thorough review of truck accident liability looks at:
- Whether the driver followed safety protocols
- Whether the company enforced realistic schedules and training
- Whether equipment met federal and state standards
- Whether third parties contributed to unsafe conditions
Understanding liability for a truck accident is key to pursuing full compensation, especially when injuries are severe.
Schedule a Free Consultation After a Blind Spot Truck Accident in Missouri
If you’ve been injured in a blind spot accident, these cases often require quick action to preserve evidence and identify every potentially liable party.
Buchanan Williams & O’Brien helps victims of truck blind spot accidents across Missouri, including in Springfield, Joplin, and St. Louis. Whether the issue is driver error or company negligence, working with an experienced Missouri truck accident lawyer can protect your rights.
If you have questions about truck accident liability, schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today.