In an 18-wheeler blind spot accident, who’s at fault depends on what each driver did before the collision. Texas law requires drivers to make sure a lane change can be completed safely, and a truck’s large blind spots don’t remove that duty.
A driver may leave a lane only when the move can be made safely. That rule applies to truckers even though a long trailer creates large blind spots, often called “no-zones,” that a passenger car doesn’t have.
Since these blind spots are a known hazard, fault often turns on how the trucker managed them. Mirror checks, signal timing, onboard cameras, and the movement of both vehicles can all become part of the analysis.
Key Takeaways for Truck Blind Spot Accidents
- An 18-wheeler has large blind spots in front, behind, and along both sides of the truck.
- Truckers must make sure a lane change can be completed safely, and federal rules require commercial trucks to have rear-vision mirrors.
- You can still recover damages in Texas if their share of responsibility is 50% or less.
- A trucking company can share responsibility when its own conduct, such as poor training or inadequate vehicle maintenance, contributes to the crash.
- Truck video and electronic data can become important evidence when the drivers disagree about how the crash happened.
Quick Answer: Who Is at Fault in a Truck Blind Spot Accident?
The truck driver can be at fault in a blind spot accident if they changed lanes, turned, or backed up without making sure the space was clear. A car driver can share fault if their own driving contributed to the crash, such as cutting in front of a truck.
Where Are the Four Blind Spots on an 18-Wheeler?
An 18-wheeler has four main blind spots: directly in front of the cab, directly behind the trailer, along the left side, and a much wider area along the right side. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration refers to these areas as “no-zones.”
The Front No-Zone
The front blind spot extends directly ahead of the cab. Since the driver sits high above the road, a small vehicle traveling closely in front of the truck can become difficult to see. A loaded truck also needs much more distance to stop than a passenger car.
A vehicle that merges too closely in front of one creates a serious rear-end risk, particularly in stop-and-go traffic along busy roads like the Stemmons Freeway or near the I-30 and I-35E interchange in downtown Dallas.
The Rear No-Zone
The rear blind spot sits directly behind the trailer. A truck driver doesn’t have a conventional rearview mirror, so vehicles traveling closely behind the trailer can disappear from view. Rear blind spot crashes can also happen when a truck backs into a loading area or other tight space.
The Left-Side No-Zone
The driver-side blind spot runs alongside the cab and trailer. It’s generally smaller than the right-side blind spot because the trucker sits on the left and has a closer view of that side. A car traveling beside a truck on I-30 between Dallas and Arlington can remain outside the driver’s direct view.
If the truck moves left during a lane change or merge, the vehicles can sideswipe each other.
The Right-Side No-Zone
The passenger-side blind spot is especially large because the driver sits much farther away from that side of the truck. A passenger vehicle can disappear from the trucker’s view while traveling alongside the trailer.
Many semi truck blind spot dangers show up during right-side lane changes and wide right turns. A collision in this area can push a smaller vehicle out of its lane or underneath part of the trailer.
How Is Fault Decided in a Truck No-Zone Crash?
The responsibility for a truck no-zone crash depends on whether either driver acted carelessly and whether that conduct contributed to the collision. Texas then divides responsibility among the parties based on the evidence.
The rules for determining liability in a truck crash apply to blind spot collisions as well, but these cases often turn on three specific questions.
What Does Texas Expect From the Truck Driver?
Texas expects a truck driver to make sure a lane change can be completed safely before moving into another lane. Section 545.104 also requires drivers to signal their intent to turn or change lanes.
Federal rules require commercial trucks to have rear-vision mirrors on both sides. FMCSA safety guidance also tells truck and bus drivers to check their mirrors every 8 to 10 seconds for vehicles entering blind spots.
Can a Car Driver Share Fault in a Truck Blind Spot Accident?
A car driver can share fault when their own unsafe driving contributes to a blind spot crash. Cutting closely in front of a truck, unsafe passing, or trying to squeeze past a truck during a wide turn can all become part of the fault analysis.
Simply being in a truck’s blind spot doesn’t automatically make the car driver negligent. You can recover damages (compensation) if your share of responsibility is 50% or less, although your recovery drops by your assigned percentage of fault.
When Is the Trucking Company Responsible?
A trucking company can share responsibility when its own conduct contributes to the crash. That might include inadequate driver training or knowingly putting a truck with unsafe equipment on the road.
Equipment can matter in a blind spot case. Damaged or misaligned mirrors, for example, can make an already large blind spot worse.
What Types of Crashes Happen in a Semi Truck’s Blind Spots?
Blind spot crashes usually happen when a truck changes lanes, turns, merges, or backs into the space occupied by another vehicle. The way the vehicles collided can help show how the crash happened.
Truckers manage vehicles that are much longer and harder to maneuver than passenger cars. Heavy merge traffic, construction lane shifts, and sudden slowdowns can make those visibility problems worse.
Common 18-wheeler no-zone accident patterns include:
- Lane-Change Sideswipes: A truck moves right or left and strikes a car traveling beside the trailer. The impact can push the smaller vehicle into another lane, a barrier, or off the roadway.
- Wide Right-Turn Collisions: A truck swings left before completing a right turn while another vehicle moves into the space beside it. The smaller vehicle can become trapped between the trailer and the curb.
- Merge Collisions: A truck and another vehicle move toward the same lane at the same time. Busy ramps along I-635 and Loop 12 create plenty of opportunities for these conflicts.
- Backing Crashes: A truck reverses at a loading dock, truck stop, or job site and strikes a vehicle or person behind it.
- Underride Crashes: A passenger vehicle slides partly underneath the side or rear of a trailer during a collision, creating a high risk of severe injuries.
Blind spots also overlap with other common 18-wheeler crash types, including merging, turning, and underride collisions.
What Evidence Proves Fault in an 18-Wheeler No-Zone Accident?
Truck data, video, physical damage, and witness accounts can help establish fault after an accident in a truck’s blind spot. Together, that evidence can show where each vehicle was and what the truck driver did before impact.
Much of the most useful evidence can be controlled by the trucking company. A blind spot claim often becomes easier to evaluate once the truck’s records are compared with the physical evidence and the drivers’ accounts.
Evidence that can matter includes:
- Engine Control Module Data: Data from the truck can show information such as speed, braking, and throttle activity before a collision.
- Onboard Camera Footage: Forward- or side-facing cameras can show the position of nearby vehicles before a lane change or turn.
- Electronic Logging Records: Logging records establish the driver’s Hours of Service and can show how long the driver had been working before the crash.
- Damage Patterns: Scrape marks, paint transfer, impact points, and final vehicle positions can help reconstruct which vehicle moved into the other.
- Mirror Condition: An inspection can reveal whether a mirror was damaged, loose, or improperly positioned.
- Crash Reports and Witnesses: Texas officers document reportable crashes on the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report, or CR-3. Witness statements and other available video can add evidence that the officer didn’t personally observe.
How Can a Lawyer Help After a Truck Blind Spot Accident?
A Texas truck accident lawyer can help establish fault by obtaining trucking records, reviewing video and electronic data, and responding when the carrier argues that your vehicle caused the crash by entering a no-zone.
When the Trucker Says You Were in the Blind Spot
A lawyer can challenge that argument with truck data, video, and physical evidence showing where each vehicle was before the collision. Being in a blind spot doesn’t automatically make you responsible if the trucker made an unsafe lane change or turn.
Footage showing your car beside the trailer before the truck moved over, for example, can help establish that your vehicle was already there. When you work with a law firm, your legal team handles the investigation to get the evidence you need.
When the Crash Report Blames You
A crash report is important, but it doesn’t make the final decision about fault in an injury claim. Your Dallas truck accident lawyer can compare the crash report against evidence the officer didn’t have, including telematics data, dashcam footage, witness statements, and vehicle damage. That evidence can show a different sequence of events than the one reflected in the report.
Handling Medical Bills While the Claim Is Pending
An attorney can review your own insurance coverage and identify benefits that might help while liability is still being sorted out. Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, can cover qualifying medical expenses and lost income regardless of who caused the crash.
Your lawyer can also review whether Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage applies if the responsible driver has no insurance or not enough liability coverage.
FAQ for Truck Blind Spot Accidents
Does My Truck Accident Claim Require a Blind Spot Camera?
Federal regulations require commercial trucks to have rear-vision mirrors, but they don’t generally require blind spot cameras. When a truck does have cameras or blind spot sensors, their data can help show what the driver should have seen before the crash.
Do Blind Spot Rules Apply if I Was Hit by a Box Truck or Delivery Van?
Box trucks and large delivery vans have blind spots, too, even though they aren’t as large as an 18-wheeler’s. Texas lane-change and turning rules still apply to their drivers. Some commercial delivery vehicles also fall under federal rules depending on their weight, use, and whether they operate in interstate commerce.
Can I Get Compensation if I Was on a Motorcycle in the Truck’s Blind Spot?
A motorcyclist can recover compensation under the same Texas proportionate-responsibility rules that apply to other motorists. The motorcycle’s position in a blind spot is one piece of evidence, but it doesn’t automatically establish fault.
Video, vehicle data, witness accounts, and physical evidence can help show whether the trucker or motorcyclist made the unsafe move.
What if the Truck Didn’t Stop After Hitting Me?
A driver involved in a crash can have legal duties to stop and provide information under Texas law. When the truck leaves, identifying information such as the carrier name, license plate, USDOT number, video, or witness accounts can help determine which company operated it.
Uninsured Motorist coverage can also become relevant when the responsible vehicle can’t be identified or lacks applicable insurance, depending on the policy and circumstances.
Can My Dashcam Footage Help After a No-Zone Crash?
Your dashcam footage can provide strong evidence in a no-zone crash. It might show where your vehicle was, whether the trucker signaled, and how the lane change or turn unfolded. The original recording can also preserve details that don’t appear in a crash report or witness statement.
Let’s Find Out Who’s Responsible for Your Blind Spot Accident
A truck’s blind spots don’t excuse an unsafe lane change, turn, or backing maneuver. Fault still depends on what the truck driver, the other driver, and any other responsible parties did before the collision.
DFW Injury Lawyers can investigate truck data, video, vehicle damage, and other evidence when fault is disputed. Our Dallas truck accident lawyers can help you pursue compensation for someone else’s mistakes.
Call us 24/7 at (888) 231-1341 or use the online form for a free consultation.
Kevin L. Edwards
Founder
Attorney Kevin Edwards is a co-founder of DFW Injury lawyers. Over the last 15 years, Mr. Edwards has dedicated his practice to helping those who have been injured or harmed by the negligence, malfeasance, and/or recklessness of others.
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