NHTSA Complaint #10566797 — 2013 VOLVO VNL

THE WEST COAST MIRRORS DON'T EXTEND FAR ENOUGH FROM THE SIDES OF THE TRUCK. A DRIVER CAN'T ADJUST THESE MIRROR ARMS TO SUFFICIENTLY OBSERVE TRAFFIC IN THE LANE IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE TRUCK. I HAVE OVER 45 YRS EXPERIENCE & KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY ADJUST MIRRORS. IF ADJUSTED TO OBSERVE FAR ENOUGH BACK IN THE ADJACENT LANE, 1/2 THE MIRROR SPACE IS THE NOSE OF THE TRAILER AND SIDE OF THE CAB. AT THIS POSITION YOU CAN'T SEE THE REAR MARKER LIGHT OF THE TRAILER! TO FIND THE REAR TRAILER MARKER LIGHT THE DRIVER MUST LEAN HARD TO THE LEFT WHEN LOOKING IN THE MIRROR. A DISTRACTION THAT CONSUMES SECONDS OF FOCUSING FROM DRIVING. SERIOUS PROBLEM DRIVING IN HARD RAIN/SNOW BECAUSE YOU DON'T WHERE THE BACK OF THE TRAILER IS. IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE WHEN YOU DO FIND THE TRAILER REAR THE TRAILER IT IS AT AN ANGLE AND APPEARS TO BE ALREADY JACKNIFING! A TENNESSEE HIGHWAY PATROL WAS BEHIND ME JUST WANTING TO PERFORM A RANDOM ROADSIDE INSPECTION. HE REMARKED "WELL IT TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH TO PULL OVER". I EXPLAINED TO HIM WITH THE NEW VOLVO I CAN'T SEE YOU BACK THERE WHEN PERFORMING NORMAL MIRROR SCANNING WITHOUT PURPOSELY LEANING OVER TO SEE ANYONE BEHIND ME EVEN WITH FLASHING LIGHTS. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THAT DURING OUR CONSTANT MIRROR SCANNING (SMITH SYSTEM ADVISE THIS ABOUT EVERY 7 SECONDS) OTHER DAYS I START TO MAKE A LANE CHANGE AND ANOTHER CAR OR TRUCK WILL SUDDENLY APPEAR ATTEMPTING TO PASS ME WANTING TO DO THE SAME. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THAT CAR OR TRUCK BUT BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED MIRROR ARM ADJUSTMENTS ON THESE TRUCKS I CAN'T DETERMINE THEIR PRESENCE THROUGH TYPICAL MIRROR SCANNING. WHEN STARTING A PASS I CAN'T BE SURE WHERE THE BACK END OF MY TRAILER IS BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE THE REAR SIDE MARKER LIGHT. AM SURE I HAVE PULLED IN FRONT OF OTHERS MAYBE TOO CLOSE. OR TAKE MY EYES OFF FORWARD DRIVING TO BE SURE. A CAUSE OF LANE CHANGE ACCIDENTS? YES. *TR