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BACK TO BASICS: a review of defensive driving techniques
5: Maintaining Space for Life: BLIND SPOTS AND TAILGATERS
A serious threat to the maintenance of your space for life is inadequate monitoring of blind spots. A vehicle too close to you reduces your space for life, and if you are unaware of its presence you will not make the adjustments necessary to restore that space. The vehicle may be in the blind spot on either side of your vehicle or may be tailgating you. Even if your mirrors are properly adjusted there are areas on either side of your van or bus that can hide another vehicle. If those mirrors are less than properly adjusted, the hiding spots can grow significantly. Using convex (or spot) mirrors can help reduce blind spots but the distorted shape of the image is easy to misjudge or even overlook. Leaning toward the mirror to change your sight angle may also reduce the size of the blind spot, but care must be taken to not turn the steering wheel while you lean. If your rear windows are dirty, covered, or non-existent, a vehicle that has gotten too close behind you may be hidden from your vision and will stay so until it moves. It is imperative that you scan to the sides and rear every 3 to 5 seconds (see Back to Basics 2: Scanning Techniques) so that you are aware of vehicles entering those blind spots and can adjust your driving accordingly. A vehicle remaining next to you has reduced your number of escape routes (see Back to Basics 3: Escape Routes). Do not allow them to remain beside you for an extended period of time. They may become hidden from your view or you may forget their presence and hit them while making a lane change or swerving to avoid another problem. Take the initiative and alter your relative position by passing (if proper) or backing-off to maintain your space for life.
A driver who is tailgating you is asking to be involved in an accident as he cannot see the traffic conditions and must rely solely on your brake lights for input. A momentary distraction might result in a rear end collision with you or an accident with another vehicle while attempting to avoid you. Even if not charged for the accident, you have potential of injury to yourself or your passengers, lost time from the accident and from completing an accident report, plus the general aggravation, stress, and hassle of the situation. Should the driver be under insured or uninsured, the financial loss caused by the collision must be absorbed by your association. Be smart: when you see a tailgater, increase your following distance. This will allow you more time to respond and give the tailgater more warning of what is happening. It may even encourage the tailgater to pass, thus eliminating that concern.
You also can be in someone's blind spot. Although vans, and certainly buses, seem unlikely to be overlooked by other drivers, lack of proper visual scanning, loud music, or distractions caused by passengers may reduce their awareness. Thus, not only should you be constantly scanning to make certain that a vehicle has not entered one of your blind spots, you must also avoid spending any significant time in another driver's blind spot. If you cannot see a car's rearview mirror through its rear window, or if you are unable to see the driver in a truck's rearview mirrors, you should assume that you are in their blind spot.
BLIND SPOTS AND TAILGATERS... A BRIEF RECAP
| Who: |
You...
you cannot rely on your passenger, and you certainly cannot rely on the
other drivers on the road
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| What: |
Blind spots are areas out of your visual range because of the inherent
ineffectiveness of rearview mirrors; they are found on both sides and to the
rear of your vehicle
Tailgaters are drivers who have infringed on your space for life by getting
too close to the rear of your vehicle; you may or may not see or be aware
of their presence
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| Why: |
To maintain your space for life, specifically,
To avoid potential injury to yourself and your passengers
To avoid the lost time of the accident and the resultant reporting forms
To avoid aggravation, stress, and hassle
To avoid financial loss to the Y if the other party has inadequate insurance
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| When: |
If you are in the vehicle, you need to be constantly aware of your blind spots
You need to visually check your mirrors every 3-5 seconds for vehicles that
may be entering your blind spots
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| Where: |
Along both sides of your vehicle
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Mirror adjustment can reduce the size, but cannot eliminate the blind spot
Size of the blind spot may be reduced by convex mirrors or leaning (with care) to alter your sight angle
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To the rear of your vehicle
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| How: |
If you are in someone's blind spot on either side, either pass (if proper) or
back-off
If someone is in your blind spot on either side, either pass (if proper) or
back-off
If you have a tailgater, increase your following distance to allow the driver more time to respond to your actions, and to encourage the driver to pass
As if your life depended on it... because it does
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