Concept
A blind spot in a vehicle or vehicle blind spot is an area around the vehicle that cannot be directly seen by the driver while at the controls, under existing circumstances. In transport, driver visibility is the maximum distance at which the driver of a vehicle can see and identify prominent objects around the vehicle. Visibility is primarily determined by weather conditions (see visibility) and by a vehicle's design. The parts of a vehicle that influence visibility include the windshield, the dashboard and the pillars. Good driver visibility is essential to safe road traffic. Blind spots exist in a wide range of vehicles: aircraft, cars, buses, trucks, agricultural equipment, heavy equipment, boats, ships, trams, and trains. Blind spots may occur in the front of the driver when the A-pillar (also called the windshield pillar), side-view mirror, or interior rear-view mirror block a driver's view of the road. Behind the driver, cargo, headrests, and additional pillars may reduce visibility. Proper adjusting of mirrors and using other technical solutions can eliminate or alleviate vehicle blind spots. A no zone is one of several areas around a large truck, where the truck driver cannot see. Collisions frequently occur in no zones. A blind zone is one of several areas around heavier rolling stocks (locomotives and multiple units), where the train driver cannot see. Accidents frequently occur in blind zones. The side view mirrors of a car should be adjusted to reduce blind spots on the sides. The method is frequently overlooked in driver's education classes and takes some getting used to. Calculated elimination of blind spots by properly trained drivers is inexpensive and obviates the need for costly technological solutions to that problem, provided drivers take the time to set up and use their mirrors effectively. The arrangementpointing the side-view mirrors substantially outboard in a fixed mechanical formulais relatively simple to achieve. Still, it takes some knowledgeable effort and getting used to it.
