Blind Spots

You should know that there are several blind spots on a car

While sitting in the driving seat of a car and looking forwards through the windscren your normal zone of vision is approximately one hundred and eighty degrees. By moving your head slightly you will be able to see what is directly behind you or slightly to one side. Areas that are not covered by the mirrors are considered to be blind spots. Please view the illustration on the right.

The green car on the left of the illestration can be viewed in the left mirror. Even though it is further away it is viewable.

The red car on the right of the illustration is nearer but it is further forwards. This car would not be viewable in the right side mirror and is therefore in a blind spot. To see this car the driver would have to look over their shoulder.

There are two other major blind spots that you need to be familiar with.

On either side of the windscreen there is a pillar. These pillars have been getting thicker in recent years to keep manufacturers in line with new regulations for the safety of car drivers and their passengers. This is all very well but these pillars are themselves a blind spot.

Before moving away from any junction it is always good advice to check both ways twice, just in case. We have all seen the adverts and felt sorry for the motorcyclist when the car pulled out. Let us all do our bit to make certain that accidents of this type do not happen again.