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Blind spot (automobile)
Encyclopedia
A blind spot in a vehicle is an area around the vehicle that cannot be directly observed by the driver while at the controls, under existing circumstances. Blind spots exist in a wide range of vehicles: cars, trucks, motorboats and aircraft.
As one is driving
an automobile
, blind spots are the areas of the road
that cannot be seen while looking forward or through either the rear-view
or side mirrors. The most common are the rear quarter blind spots, areas towards the rear of the vehicle on both sides. Vehicles in the adjacent lanes of the road that fall into these blind spots may not be visible using only the car's mirrors. Rear quarter blind spots can be:
Other areas that are sometimes called blind spots are those that are too low to see behind, in front, or to the sides of a vehicle, especially those with a high seatinpot.
Motor vehicles
Driving
Driving is the controlled operation and movement of a land vehicle, such as a car, truck or bus.Although direct operation of a bicycle and a mounted animal are commonly referred to as riding, such operators are legally considered drivers and are required to obey the rules of the road...
an automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
, blind spots are the areas of the road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
that cannot be seen while looking forward or through either the rear-view
Rear-view mirror
A rear-view mirror is a mirror in automobiles and other vehicles, designed to allow the driver to see rearward through the vehicle's backlight ....
or side mirrors. The most common are the rear quarter blind spots, areas towards the rear of the vehicle on both sides. Vehicles in the adjacent lanes of the road that fall into these blind spots may not be visible using only the car's mirrors. Rear quarter blind spots can be:
- checked by turning one's head briefly (risking rear-end collisions),
- eliminated by reducing overlap between side and rear-view mirrors, or
- reduced by installing mirrors with larger fields-of-viewField of viewThe field of view is the extent of the observable world that is seen at any given moment....
.
Other areas that are sometimes called blind spots are those that are too low to see behind, in front, or to the sides of a vehicle, especially those with a high seatinpot.
Motorboats
Blind spots also exist in front of boats. When the boat accelerates, the bow rises, increasing the size of the blind spot. Large vessels can have up to several hundreds of meters of blind spot. To address this, cameras are sometimes placed in the front of the vessel to cover the missing field of view.External links
- Eliminating your blindspot
- Car Talk: A Great New Way to Set Your Side View Mirrors
- How To: Adjust Your Mirrors to Avoid Blind Spots
- Quick summary of recent blind spot and driver awareness research
- Combating the HGV blind-spot and side swipe accidents
- Construction Equipment Blind Areas
- A Blind Spot Test