Two in five drivers have dangerous blind spots in their cars that pose risks to driving safety, new research reveals.

A fifth of drivers have a blind spot looking over their shoulder and a fifth are obstructed by the windscreen pillar

A study by the AA, which is exhibiting at this year’s Great British Fleet Event, found a fifth (22%) of all respondents said the B-pillar next to the driver creates a significant blind spot, along with 20% for the windscreen pillar.

Meanwhile, 6% have a significant blind spot on the front passenger’s side of the windscreen during heavy rain and snow due to the wipers not covering that area

Likewise, 5% have the same problem in winter when dirt and excess road salt are thrown on the windscreen.

Such blind spots bring high risks to the drivers. Among those who say their ability to see out of their vehicle is limited, 35% have had a collision or near-miss. More than one in 10 (12) did so while in a car park.

The risks are borne out by government statistics revealing that, in 2022, there were 17 fatal road collisions road where a blind spot was a contributory factor. Of the 929 collisions leading to injuries, 1.8% resulted in people being killed.

The 17 people killed in collisions where a blind spot was a factor reached a five-year high in 2022, the most recent year that statistics have been recorded.

And over the past five years, blind spots restricting the view of drivers have been a factor in 63 road deaths and more than 1,100 serious injuries.

Tim Rankin, managing director of the AA’s Accident Assist, said: “Clearly, most drivers know where their view outside their vehicle is restricted but the threat of them failing to spot another road user remains considerable. Distraction, information overload in busy driving environments and just a ‘bad day’ may lead to a driver not being as diligent as usual in checking where they know they are partially blind.

“Blind spots that come and go with weather conditions, such as the build-up of dirt and excess road salt, or wipers not removing rain and snow from parts of the windscreen present a threat that can change in minutes.

“The more than one in 10 who have collided or had a near-miss in a car park shows that the danger is present even at slow speed and where there are very likely to be pedestrians.”