Spotter (maneuvering)
A spotter is a person used in vehicle maneuvers to assist a driver who may not have a clear view in their direction of travel. They are most commonly used in:
- Off-road rock crawling
- Reversing truck and trailer combinations, such as semitrailers, b-trains and road trains
- Placing oversized freight using a forklift
- Lifting loads using a vehicle-mounted crane
- Guiding military vehicles
- Dumping materials, such as from a dump truck
- Guiding oversized loads.
A spotter will either use a set of standard hand signals, or will agree hand signals before the maneuver with the driver or operator.
Technological solutions such as reversing cameras and proximity sensors have reduced drivers' reliance on spotters in some circumstances.