What are Blind Zones on Vehicles?
Blind Zones are the areas around a vehicle where an object, pet or person can not be seen by a seated driver. Blind zones vary by vehicle. Larger vehicles like SUV’s, trucks and minivans have larger blind zones than smaller passenger cars. Blind zones can also be exacerbated by thick pillars, short rear glass, and higher rear decks.
Why are Blind Zones Dangerous?
When a driver cannot see a small child, a pet or even an adult behind or in front of a vehicle, then the driver is more likely to run over the child or object when backing up or pulling forward. Even a slow speed crash, like one that occurs when backing out of a driveway can kill a child.
Blind Zones are especially dangerous when driving higher profile vehicles like trucks and SUVs. Because the driver is higher than when driving a car, the driver may feel as though they are able to see more than they can when driving a lower profile vehicle. When in fact, the opposite is true.
According to Consumer Reports, a mid-size sedan has a rear blind zone of 21 feet, a mini-van comes in at 22 feet. A mid-size SUV can have a rear blind zone of 37 feet and a full-size pickup truck can have rear blind zone of 50 feet. And these are figures for an average height driver. Shorter drivers have even larger blind zones. Wagons and Hatchbacks had the smallest rear blind zones due to the lower profiles of these vehicles and the larger rear windows.
How Can New Safety Technology Help?
In 2018, back-up cameras became a standard feature on all new vehicles sold in the United States. A study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety concluded that the overall reduction of police reported backup crashes was 16%.
The cameras had the biggest benefit for drivers 70 years and older. It is believed that the majority of drivers over age 70 may have difficulty turning their heads and may also have trouble judging distances.
Vehicles Also Have Front Blind Zones
All vehicles have front blind zones as well. Shorter drivers may have more difficulty seeing over the hood of the vehicle, especially if the driver’s seat cannot be adjusted for height.
SUV’s were the most common vehicle involved in pedestrian accident due to blind zones created by height and pillars.
To demonstrate how far a blind zone can extend in front of a vehicle, one savvy reporter asked children to sit criss-cross applesauce-style on a concrete driveway directly in front of an SUV. As each child was placed, a person sitting in the driver’s seat was instructed to signal when she could see the first child. Thirteen children sat down in a line that extended 15 feet in front of the vehicle before the driver signaled that a single child was visible.
Technology May Be Able to Help Here Too
Some vehicles are now being sold with a 360 degree camera or a series of cameras placed on the vehicle. Some of these cameras are called “Bird’s Eye View” cameras. These cameras are not considered standard equipment at this time. If you are in the market for a new vehicle, I strongly encourage you to seek out a vehicle with the “Bird’s Eye View” safety feature.
Click here for more information about how technology can help make driving safer.
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