A recent trend in the automotive industry over the last few decades has been to increase the size of pickup trucks. Modern trucks are much bigger than their older counterparts, both in terms of length and height. They also tend to weigh much more than other vehicles on the road.
This makes them especially dangerous in car accidents, where those in smaller vehicles tend to suffer more serious injuries. But it’s also dangerous for pedestrians and especially for children. This is because the combination of height and weight creates a massive blind spot in front of the truck.
16 feet long
Of course, all vehicles are going to have a blind spot to one degree or another. The driver simply cannot see the pavement right in front of the hood.
But pickup trucks are so tall and wide that the hood creates a massive blind spot that can hide pedestrians from view. For instance, in one study, 10 children were able to sit in a line and the driver could not see them. The blind spot was 16 feet long. Some children are so short that they wouldn’t be seen in front of a massive pickup truck even if they were walking – such as when they are crossing the street in a crosswalk.
What this means is that many pickup truck drivers will cause accidents with pedestrians or cyclists, and they honestly will never see those individuals. They just do not understand the size of their blind spots or how to drive their vehicles safely. Those who have lost loved ones or suffered significant injuries in these accidents need to know how to seek financial compensation.