How to Solve the Problem of Right Turn Safety Blind Spots for Trucks?

"Stay away from large trucks while on the road." Behind this simple traffic advice lie numerous tragic accidents. Accidents involving large trucks during right turns are particularly common and have even become one of the leading causes of fatalities in some urban areas. Can the issue of safety blind spots be resolved?

Truck Accidents During Right Turns

During right turns by large transport and construction vehicles, the significant blind spots for drivers often result in the involvement of pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles traveling in the same direction, a situation dubbed "right turning accidents."

According to feedback from truck drivers, right-turn blind spots contribute to traffic safety issues, particularly in urban areas. At intersections where bicycles and pedestrians share lanes with motor vehicles, drivers must observe multiple potential obstacles, increasing the likelihood of overlooking blind spots and causing collisions with pedestrians, bicycles, or electric bikes.

"We are troubled by the safety issues caused by right-turn blind spots." John, a truck driver, stated, "The consequences are severe if accidents occur, so we are always extremely cautious while driving in urban areas."

"Accidents during right turns by heavy-duty trucks have become one of the leading causes of fatalities in urban road traffic accidents." said Timmy, Head of the Traffic Management Department.

While driver negligence and lack of attention contribute to right-turn accidents, the major cause remains the blind spot hazards resulting from the design of these large vehicles.

A professor conducted an investigation into this issue and highlighted that while most vehicles have turning blind spots, those of large trucks are the most extensive. In general, the longer the vehicle's body, the larger the blind spot. Although buses and similar vehicles have blind spots, theirs are relatively smaller.

"These blind spots can be categorized into two types: internal turning radius blind spots, where the angle between the front and rear axles of a vehicle varies, creating a greater blind spot the longer the distance between them; and rearview mirror blind spots, resulting from the articulated axis between the tractor and the trailer."

Implementation of "Mandatory Stops" in Various Places

To prevent accidents involving right-turning large trucks, many places worldwide advocate or mandate "mandatory stops," requiring drivers of large vehicles to pause after entering an intersection, ensuring safety before proceeding. This brief pause allows for safety checks.

This year, in some areas of China, the traffic police department introduced measures such as setting up isolation piers at certain intersections to indicate that large trucks must stop while making a right turn. They utilized electronic surveillance to monitor compliance. After a period of practice, significant reductions in accidents were noted at these intersections. Subsequently, 43 intersections were equipped with warning signs, requiring large vehicles to stop once while making a right turn. Violators faced penalties of 3 demerit points and a fine of 200 yuan.

"Our company operates nearly 80 large vehicles. After implementing the 'mandatory stops,' we supervise all vehicles in terms of technology, personnel, and equipment. We have allocated personnel to monitor real-time vehicle trajectories. If a vehicle fails to comply with the 'mandatory stops,' we receive real-time alerts through the backend system."

Tom, a captain in the traffic police department, mentioned that they have implemented a three-dimensional warning system for right-turning blind spots in large trucks, combining aerial, vehicle-mounted, and ground-level measures. This system includes adjustable convex mirrors installed in the air to help drivers eliminate blind spots, along with corresponding signage for reminders. Moreover, vehicle-mounted warning systems have been widely introduced using distance sensors to eliminate blind spots. Ground markings indicate blind spot warning areas. Since the implementation of this warning system, fatalities caused by accidents involving right-turning blind spots in large trucks have decreased by 50% year-on-year.

Alex, the commander of the traffic police detachment, believes that to address the significant issues caused by accidents involving large trucks, effective measures should be taken at the source, such as vehicle safety design standards, to prevent recurring tragedies.

Urgent Need for Technological Upgrades

There are inherent blind spot vulnerabilities in the design of large trucks that current national standards have not explicitly addressed.

Kelvin, an expert in intelligent perception technology for Dongfeng commercial vehicles, explained that blind spots are inherent in vehicle structure. Some solutions have been proposed, such as installing protective devices under and on the sides of large trucks and providing verbal alerts when turning. However, there is still room for improvement.

Regarding safety blind spot issues, several companies have proposed various technological solutions. First, installing one or multiple cameras at positions like rearview mirrors can alert drivers through audio or visual signals when the monitored area detects target information. Second, installing pairs of millimeter-wave radar in front of and behind vehicles that trigger audio-visual alarms in the driver's cabin upon detecting nearby objects. Third, projecting light warnings from vehicles, especially useful during nighttime driving, using flashing or red lights to alert pedestrians or other vehicles entering hazardous zones.

John, a truck driver, mentioned that his vehicle is equipped with four monitoring cameras and posted warning signs, costing around an additional 1,200 dollar. "Many drivers support technological upgrades. Monitoring cameras not only eliminate blind spots but also prevent fraudulent insurance claims and theft of goods or diesel fuel."

Several other countries have implemented practices worth considering. For example, equipping the right-side doors of vehicles with observation windows, commonly known as "OK mirrors," approximately the size of computer screens. Through these observation windows, drivers can directly view the right side of the vehicle.

A representative from a leading industry enterprise admitted that while companies aren't afraid of strict national standards, it would be preferable to have fewer regional standards. Incompatibility among regional standards makes it challenging for vehicle manufacturers. To reduce costs for consumers, they suggest that the government introduce regulations. If large trucks meet certain safety protection levels, it should lead to reduced insurance rates. The insurance fees for large trucks are quite high, reaching several tens of thousands annually. Discounted insurance rates would effectively promote the installation of safety equipment in vehicles.