Some car designs have very poor visibility out of the rear of the vehicle. Some designs have very small rear windows relative to the rest of the car. Some vehicles, such as cargo vans and pickups, may not have a rear window at all. It’s important to be aware of this on the road, as it may be much harder for the driver in front of you to notice your car and what you’re doing on the road.
The Hazard
The first and most important place that rear visibility plays a role in accidents is actually in driveways and parking lots. It’s hard for drivers in vehicles of this type to see whether there are any obstructions of pedestrians behind them before they back up. When you are on foot or in a parking lot, watch out for backup lights on a vehicle that you’re behind if it doesn’t have good visibility out of the back. The driver may not even know you’re there. If you’re in your car, honk so that they know that you’re behind them. They are very unlikely to be offended and will probably appreciate the heads-up.
On the road, the situation can be just as bad. Remember that the view that some drivers get out of their rearview mirror isn’t worth much. It may be hard for them to see you if you’re driving near the back corner of their vehicle and, with a smaller back window, the driver’s blind spot is increased. Keep this in mind and try to get in a position where the other driver can see you so that you avoid any mishaps.
Remember that this problem is compounded in bad weather. Many vehicles address this by having rear-window wipers installed. On vehicles with small or very darkly tinted windows, it may be nearly impossible for the driver to see out the back window with their mirrors. Be careful of such drivers, as they may not see you at all when you’re behind them.
If you are injured by a driver who was negligent in not compensating for their own limited visibility, you may be able to sue. This is usually referred to as not keeping a proper lookout in lawsuits. Talk to a Dallas car crash lawyer about whether or not it seems like you have a good chance of winning a lawsuit against such a driver.
