Car diagrams will show that the two pillars on the front of the vehicle, one on each side of the windshield, are known as the A-pillars. Depending on the size of the car, there will also be B, C or even D pillars in between different doors and surrounding side windows.
These pillars are an integral part of the design, and they’re very important because they make the passenger compartment safe. They provide structure, especially in a rollover accident. This means that there’s no way to eliminate these pillars or even to make them much smaller than they are already.
Unfortunately, they can also pose a risk. They cause very serious and even fatal accidents every year.
Accidents while turning
The problem with an A-pillar is that it can block the driver’s view while they make a turn. If the driver is turning left, for example, the left lane that they are turning into is blocked by the A-pillar on the driver’s side of the window. The opposite is true, though perhaps to a lesser degree when turning right.
This pillar isn’t large enough to block an entire vehicle in most cases, but it can certainly block the view of a pedestrian who is in the crosswalk. Remember that pedestrians are often going to have the walk signal at the same time that a driver would be making a turn. But if that driver doesn’t see the pedestrian, they may simply turn anyway and strike that person before they know that anything is wrong.
If you get involved in an accident like this, you could suffer very serious injuries. Be sure you understand how to seek financial compensation.