A driver can have all of the mirrors properly adjusted, drive slowly and still cause a blind spot collision. It takes several seconds for another vehicle to pass your blind spot and cause an accident in that short period. Every driver in California should understand how to identify and prevent blind spot collisions.
Who is at fault?
In blind spot accidents, a driver does not check his or her car’s blind spot and collides with another vehicle. The person who is at fault is the driver that did not look back and check the blind spot. The at-fault driver should have manually checked the spot before moving into another lane, which only takes a few seconds in most cases. In addition, the at-fault driver cannot blame the accident on the faulty design of the car or the atmosphere being too dark or foggy.
In certain cases, the liability is shared between both drivers. If a car is speeding recklessly while driving into another car’s blind spot, the speeding driver may be at fault. That driver should’ve slowed down while another car tried to pass.
The frequency of blind spot collisions
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that blind spot collisions are some of the most common types of motor vehicle accidents. They occur frequently, resulting in few fatalities but causing expensive vehicle damage.
Determining liability
The specific behaviors of the drivers and their surroundings are factors to consider for this type of car accident.