Blind spots and shoulder checks

Blind spots are areas around your car that you can’t see by looking ahead or checking your rear and side mirrors. They can be dangerous, both to you and other road users.

Where should you practise this?

Find somewhere you can park with enough room for your coach to walk around your car, keeping at least a car’s width away. Note the places where you can’t see you coach in your mirrors.

Knowing your blind spots

The main blind spots for a car are along each side and slightly behind the driver, but there can be others. Get an idea of where your blind spots are by getting another person to walk around your car. Ask them to keep at least a car’s width away while you make a note of the places where you can’t see them in your mirrors.

Dealing with blind spots

• Make the blind spots around your car as small as possible by adjusting your side mirrors. You should have them so that the sides of your car are just out of sight.
• A shoulder check is a quick turn of the head, either left or right, to look out your side window. Shoulder checking (sometimes called a head check) is an important way to see what’s in your blind spots.

When to check your blind spots

• Before you pull out from the kerb
• Before you parallel park or leave a park
• Before and during a three-point turn or U-turn
• Before merging with other traffic
• Before changing lanes (including when you pass or overtake another vehicle)
• Before you turn, but only if there’s a chance that another vehicle could have moved into your blind spot
• When reversing on the road or backing out of a driveway
• Whenever you’re unsure about what’s around your car.

Staying out of blind spots

• Knowing where your own blind spots are will help you stay out of other people’s blind spots.
• Avoid driving in other people’s blind spots. When you’re alongside another vehicle, either drive ahead of them or drop back. You want to make sure there’s a bit of distance so you can both see each other clearly.