Blind Spot Safety for Brighton Driving
February 27, 2016
Blind spots may be a good thing when it comes to a spouse's annoying habits, but when driving an automobile in Brighton, they are definitely to be avoided. So, while it's not good marital advice, it's good auto advice to minimize your own blind spots and stay out of other Brighton drivers' blind spots, especially when it comes to large, heavy vehicles like trucks and buses.
First, minimize your own blind spots. Do this before you pull out of the driveway or parking space. Adjust your rearview mirror so that you see as much of the area behind you as possible. And, no, this doesn't include the passengers in the back seat. The rearview mirror isn't designed to be a baby monitor.
Next, lean to the side until your head almost touches the driver's side window. Now adjust the driver's side mirror so that it just catches the side of the vehicle. Then, lean to the middle of the car and adjust the passenger's side mirror in the same way. These adjustments will ensure you the widest possible view behind your vehicle.
Of course, you can't eliminate blind spots entirely. There is always an area behind any vehicle where the driver just can't see what's there. The bigger the vehicle, the bigger the blind spot. Toddlers are just the right size to hide in a pickup's or SUV's blind spot. The blind spot on an RV or tractor-trailer can actually hide your crossover! You should always check behind any vehicle before getting in and backing up. And if you sit in the vehicle for a few minutes before backing up, it is best to get out and check again, especially if you are pulling out of a neighborhood driveway in Brighton. No precaution is too extreme if it saves the life of a child.
Trucks may cause about 60% of the accidents involving a truck and a car, but 78% of fatalities in such accidents are with the smaller vehicle. The number of fatalities in Michigan, as well as the number of crashes, could be cut significantly if Brighton drivers learned to properly share Michigan roads with trucks.
While learning to share Michigan roads and freeways with trucks and other large vehicles may not seem like preventive auto maintenance, it does, in fact, go hand-in-hand with good car care. Keeping your vehicle out of the body shop can save you big bucks and prevent the stress of a major accident, along with the injuries that could come with it.
The team at Spartan Tire Brighton in Brighton urges you to stay safe, and stay on the road!
Spartan Tire Brighton
4880 Old U.S. 23
Brighton, Michigan 48114
810-355-4388
Need Service?
More articles from Spartan Tire Brighton
A Not-So-Straight Story (Vehicle Pulls to One Side)
December 15, 2024
A vehicle should travel straight down a straight road with the steering wheel centered. But time and travel can take their toll and soon you may find your vehicle pulling to the left or right. Those are not good signs and should be taken care of fairly quickly. One thing that you should note is... More
Timing is Everything (Timing Belt)
December 8, 2024
Talk about exquisite choreography; it happens under the hood of your vehicle every time you take a drive. Your engines many complex parts must work exactly together. One key is a part called a timing belt, which enables the synchronizing of two of your engines components, the camshaft, and the ... More
When Your Tires are Tired (Tire Replacement)
December 1, 2024
Tires are so reliable these days that few drivers pay much attention to them. But tires wear out. They have a tough job since they are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road. They have to get your vehicle going from a stop, keep it going, make sure it is headed in the dire... More