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Safety Spotlight: Blind Spots by Scott Cosby The topic of this month’s article will focus on vehicle blind spots, which should be an important safety concern. In our in- dustry, travel is a necessity, as well as an everyday occurrence for all of us! We’ll further examine this topic and the best op- tions to avoid blind spot accidents. A blind spot in a vehicle is an area around it which cannot be directly observed by the driver while at the controls. Blind spots exist in a wide range of vehicles, and there are types of transport which have no blind spots at all. Driver visibility is the maximum distance at which the driver can see and identify objects around the vehicle. Visibility is primarily determined by weather condi- tions and vehicle design. Good driver visibility is essential to safe travel. Blind spots may occur in the various scenar- ios: front of the driver, side-view mirrors, and in- terior rearview mirror can block a driver's view of the road. Behind the driver, there may be ad- ditional obstructions including headrests, pas- sengers, and cargo which may reduce visibility. Proper adjustment of mirrors can eliminate or lessen vehicle blind spots. If side-view mirrors are properly adjusted in a vehicle, there are no blind spots on the sides. Such an arrangement can greatly reduce the probability of side swipes and other accidents, particularly in lane changes. Driver height can also affect visibility. A driver may reduce the size of a blind spot or eliminate it completely by turning their head in the direction of the obstruction. This al- lows the driver visibility and better depth perception around the vehicle in motion. It may not be possible to totally eliminate blind spots. One should always use the vehicle’s turn signals and a look over the shoulder in advance of changing lanes or backing up, to minimize the risk of failing to see a vehicle or pedestrian which may be in your vehicle’s blind spot. Most of today’s vehicles are equipped with backup cameras and/or sensors to identify objects immediately behind or beside a vehicle and not visible in the rearview mirror. It is always safest to look behind the vehicle before getting inside and to not become overly reliant on backup cameras and sensors. Consult online resources on this topic and provide information to drill crews. A defensive driving course is an excellent option for drill crews, as well. Scott michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com &% ! "" * "(%$ ))) (" $( ' & $ %# # " (" $( $ ( " !" !! ! &% ! % ! (" $( & $ $ $ " ! $ $ ! ! $ ! $ # $ $ $ !& ! $ #" !& ! $ ! !& # ! # ! !& $ % Click on the photo at left to enter the South Atlantic JUBILEE Photo Gallery. worldwidedrillingresource.info/ gallery/2016/JUBILEE16 Feel free to download at will and print the photo(s) of your choice. Compliments of W ldWi e D l o rce or d ril ing Res u ® . Photos are copyrighted and released for personal use only - no commercial use permitted. Looking for show pages? You found them! O N T H E T R A I L . . . follow the R e d J a c k e t s ~ 27 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® OCTOBER 2016