Dangerous Blind Spots Impair Almost HALF of All Drivers

A recent study has found that blind spots created by a windscreen or door pillar (or by the wipers not fully clearing the windscreen) cause issues for 44% of all drivers.

The report looked at how a driver’s safety is impacted by external factors, including on the vehicle and the road.

Specifically, it found that of those drivers who say their ability to see out of their vehicle is impaired due to external factors, more than one-third have either had a collision or a near-miss.

Blind spots affecting the view of drivers are an issue for many on the road, contributing to more than 1,000 serious injuries and 63 road deaths in incidents over the last 5 years.

How Do Blind Spots Impact Road Safety?  

Some blind spots are controllable.

For example, a windscreen wiper that isn’t fully clearing the windscreen may be faulty or simply require a replacement, which is the responsibility of the driver or fleet owner/manager.

This can be a particular issue in wintry or wet conditions as visibility can be significantly reduced in the wet and coupled with longer stopping distances, it can be a serious threat to road safety for all road users.

Of course, there are times when visibility is reduced because of the weather and it’s unrelated to any controllable factor, such as the weather.

That’s why it’s always important to be ultra-aware of the conditions and the road you’re driving on as it can help improve safety for you and others.

There’s also the reality that there are some blind spots that are impossible to mitigate, such as those caused by door and window pillars.

But other situations such as becoming distracted by other passengers, digital devices and the environment can be problematic on their own. Add in significant impairments to the vision of the road and other road users and it can be a dangerous mix. 

Distracted Driving – How Much Of An Issue Is It?

With the report looking at ways in which drivers are impacted by external factors, it’s worth considering how distracted driving plays a part.

Distracted driving encompasses a range of issues behind the wheel, including most notably the use of mobile phones.

Despite a change in the law in the last couple of years that reflected the way that we use mobile devices, there’s still a big issue with drivers using mobile phones behind the wheel.

It’s why experts are looking to technology such as AI cameras to provide smarter solutions for tackling issues such as distracted driving.

A recent study found that 93% of drivers have recently witnessed another road user using a mobile phone behind the wheel, which shows that it’s still a significant issue.

Part of the issue is that much of the fines rely on police catching offenders and in recent years, there’s been a 20% reduction in the number of dedicated traffic police on the roads.

Road safety is an issue that is constantly evolving and while mobile phone use has drastically reduced since the initial ban back in 2003, the rapid improvement in technology means there are more potential distractions and hazards than ever before.

Do you think blind spots are a serious issue for drivers? And how big of an issue is distracted driving in the UK? Let us know in the comments below.