Checking your blind spots

 
This week’s driving tip is Checking your blind spots.

 
When moving off, you must always make sure that it’s clear and safe.
 
This is one thing that your driving instructor will stress time and time again during your driving lessons.

 
 

 
 
As you sit in the driving seat you can see clearly to the front, and when you use your mirrors you can see most of what’s behind; but there will be some areas around the car that need special attention – areas that you can’t see clearly.
 
These are the blind spots.

 
 

 
 

Blind Spots

A blind spot is an area that can’t be seen in your mirrors or that is masked by parts of the car’s structure.
 
 

 
 
When moving off, the blind spots behind your left and right shoulders are critical.
 
For example, if you look at the diagram above, you can see that the blue car that emerging from the junction would not be visible in the mirrors of the red car – if the driver of the red car were to move off without seeing it there could easily be an accident.
 
 

 
 
To compensate for this blind spot, you need to check over your right shoulder before moving off from the left-hand side of the road and your left shoulder if moving off from the right-hand side.