BLIND SPOTS POSE A SERIOUS RISK OF A CAR ACCIDENT
Every car has blind spots, and the bigger the car, the wider the blind spot. In reality, a blind spot is a zone where you can’t see another car coming from the side or behind you while checking your rearview or side mirrors. According to research released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA in March of 2019, more than 500,000 accidents were caused by a blind spot problem between 2005 and 2015. More than 188,000 people were injured, and more than 500 people died due to these collisions.
TYPES OF ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY BLIND SPOTS
According to the same survey, the majority of these collisions occur when a car attempts to merge into another lane. However, many encounters culminate in rear-end or front-end collisions, which cause severe damage to the cars involved.
Pedestrians, bikers, and motorcycle riders are all affected by blind areas. When a driver’s blind spot prevents them from seeing another car coming, they are less likely to see someone strolling, riding a bike, or driving a motorbike.
BLIND ZONES ARE LARGER IN COMMERCIAL CARS.
Buses and commercial cars that share the road with them are well-known to drivers. They may not realize that they may be in the operator’s blind zone for a significantly longer amount of time. This region is referred to as a no-zone by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) since it is where a passenger car vanishes from the vision of a truck or bus driver.
According to the FMCSA, up to 14% of all large-car accidents occur because the driver is unaware that another car is in their blind zone. When a truck driver changes lanes, turns or merges in traffic, blind spots may pose complications. This is risky not just for the operator but also for other drivers and anybody else who could be involved in a collision.
BLIND SPOT ACCIDENT PREVENTION IN TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY
Thankfully, more car companies rely on technology to help limit the number of traffic accidents caused by blind spots in cars. Unfortunately, Consumer Reports discovered that blind spot detection BSD is still an optional function on most cars, meaning that individuals buying a car would pay more for this feature. Because the driver must have their turn signal active to trigger a warning in certain circumstances, technology will not
always prevent accidents caused by a driver being unaware of another car in their blind zone. Technology may be able to assist everyone in being more aware of their surroundings.
Blind Spot Accidents: Reducing the Risks
Because every car has blind spots, they are always a danger. Drivers on Colorado highways should constantly be mindful of the cars surrounding them to ensure that other drivers know their car’s rear blind areas. Fortunately, many drivers have added special blind spot mirrors to their cars to lessen the danger of missing traffic that would otherwise be undetectable in their rearview or side mirrors. There is still a chance of getting hit by an inattentive driver who isn’t paying attention to other cars on the road or is preoccupied and doesn’t notice a car due to their blind spots. Other drivers are safer when all drivers pay attention to the road.
BLIND SPOT ACCIDENTS: WHAT CAUSES THEM?
Blindspot collisions may be avoided if drivers pay attention to the cars around them. However, several studies demonstrate that drivers drive while intoxicated, move too fast for the circumstances, and be preoccupied while on the road. Drivers who text, are engrossed in their GPS or are fatigued while driving is all at risk of causing an accident because they are not paying enough attention to other cars on the road.
ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY BLIND SPOTS
Blindspot collisions may result in significant injuries, especially when a heavy car is involved. Blind spots on trucks are bigger than on cars. Large truck drivers are also slower to react to cars on the road because they require more time to halt or slow down.
Whether your injuries are the result of a car or truck crash, they might be life-changing. Following a truck collision, common injuries include:
INTERNAL BLEEDING
Internal bleeding is often undetectable at first, but it may lead to a variety of long- term complications. Internal bleeding is a common complication of blunt force trauma, which is common in truck accidents. After a truck collision, individuals may discover internal organ damage or a brain injury over time.
CRUSHING INJURIES
When your car collides with a huge truck, the risk of crushing injuries is higher than when it collides with another car. The weight of a truck, along with the high speed of a major highway, may cause your car to be so badly damaged that your legs or limbs are crushed. Consequently, you’re more prone to
break bones, which, depending on the degree of the damage, may need significant surgical treatments.
SPINAL CORD INJURIES
Back, neck, and spinal cord injuries are frequent following an accident. Victims of truck-related blind spot accidents often have injuries to their back and neck, which may result in paralysis, long-term mobility impairments, and other problems, including psychological disorders.
Whether you are hit by a car or a truck, the amount of injury you sustain may be catastrophic and life-changing. Many blind spot accident victims are out of work for a long time, need hospitalization, and are in agony for weeks or months following the event.
ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY BLIND SPOTS AND THEIR COSTS
The emotional and physical toll that a car accident may have on a victim typically pales in contrast to the real out-of-pocket expenditures. Victims are confronted with unexpected car repairs and growing medical expenses, expenditures connected with the treatment of their injuries, and the likelihood of being unable to return to work soon after an accident.
Families are enduring financial instability as these prices rise, prompting them to settle claims with their insurance carrier sooner than they should.
This is a poor idea since, following an accident in which a victim is wounded, they should call an expert car accident attorney to find out what rights they have and how much money they may be able to collect if they file a case.
ACCIDENTS IN COLORADO AND NO-FAULT INSURANCE
Because of Colorado’s no-fault insurance laws, most drivers feel that their only choice following a car accident is to file a claim for financial recovery with their insurance carrier. Most no-fault insurance includes limitations, so this isn’t always the case. Medical payments coverage MedPay claims are used to pay no-fault insurance. However, in some circumstances, plaintiffs have the right to submit a claim with the liable driver’s insurance company or launch a personal injury lawsuit.
If your injuries are classed as a severe injury due to an car accident in Colorado, you may be able to seek compensation outside of your PIP coverage. A serious injury is described as one that causes a substantial deformity, limits normal body functioning, or causes a handicap that lasts longer than 90 days. As a result, anybody involved in a car or truck accident should get legal advice as soon as possible. Your insurance company will not divulge any information they believe may lead to litigation or an increase in the amount you owe.
STATISTICS ABOUT COLORADO’S HIGHWAYS
More than 400,000 accidents occurred on Colorado highways for the year ending December 31, 2018, according to the Colorado Department of Highway Safety and Motor Cars FLHSMV. During the year, these accidents resulted in 3,150 fatalities and approximately 255,000 injuries.
If you have been injured in a car accident or have lost a loved one in a road accident, you may not be aware of your rights or if the tragedy might have been avoided if the driver who caused the accident had paid greater attention to their car’s blind zone. Anyone who has been involved in an car accident in Colorado should contact an expert car accident lawyer immediately away to learn about their legal options.
THE ROLE OF NEGLIGENCE IN BLIND SPOT ACCIDENTS
In a blind spot collision, establishing negligence requires verifying the position of the cars involved at the time of the accident. Drivers in Colorado are responsible for others on the road, which includes paying attention to other cars and looking over their shoulders to determine if a car is in its blind zone.
This may seem to be common sense, but as previously said, it does not always occur. Remember that all personal injury claims include carelessness, and blind spot accidents are no exception.
Your Colorado car accident lawyer may examine all accident records, including police reports, witness reports, and your testimony, and assist you in holding the negligent parties financially liable.
Aggressive, drunk, and willfully disobeying traffic laws are all examples of carelessness, and drivers who cause catastrophic injuries in car accidents must be held liable. Some of the most severe injuries sustained in a car accident may result in life-long disability, and victims are often out of work for months while they heal. Some victims will never be able to return to their previous occupations, as well as families who have lost a loved one in an accident.
When you choose an experienced Colorado car accident lawyer, you will be given a free consultation during which the attorney will go over the facts of your case with you. The more information you can offer concerning the accident, your injuries, and the financial damages you incur as a consequence of the event, the better. This will enable the lawyer to determine whether or not an car accident claim is feasible under Colorado law.
Once you and your car accident lawyer have determined that there is sufficient reason to proceed, your lawyer will have you sign documentation authorizing them to negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. Suppose they are unable to reach an
arrangement with the insurance company. In that case, your car accident lawyer will most likely try mediation, arbitration, and litigation if the conclusion is still not satisfactory.
Victims of car accidents, particularly those injured in a blind spot accident, should carefully record as much information as possible before contacting an attorney who has handled car accident cases in Colorado.
To prevent unwittingly providing them with information that may be used against you in the future, you should avoid answering questions about the accident presented by insurance adjusters until you have consulted with a lawyer.
Contact an expert car accident lawyer if you have concerns after a Colorado car accident.