How to Use and Adjust Your Car Mirrors Properly

Car Mirrors

Having a clear idea of your surrounding vehicles & objects is one of the most essential tasks at hand when you are driving a car. When it comes to driving a car, mirrors are one of the most essential auto parts that play a significant role in your safety. However, you need to place these mirrors appropriately, to ensure the accurate distance of the nearby objects. Without appropriate positioning, they might come of no use.

Mirrors are essential for better visibility and are extremely necessary to avoid any unfortunate events. Currently, automobile manufacturers of all shapes & sizes equip their cars with adjustable mirrors, for the safety of the drivers.

However, if you are not satisfied with the view, provided here is a beginner’s guide on using and adjusting your car mirrors for proper use.

Ways to Adjust Car Mirrors Properly

  • Adjust the Side-view Mirror
    The side-view mirror is placed on the driver’s side and needs to be appropriately adjusted to see the view behind your car and a thin sliver of your vehicle. The car side mirrors needs to be adjusted while you are sitting in the driver’s seat.
    Post-adjusting the driver’s car side mirrors, you need to adjust the passenger’s side mirror. The passenger’s side mirror is also a side-view mirror. This mirror needs to be adjusted manually, and you might need to move around between the passenger and driver’s seat. This mirror also lets you have a good view of what is behind the car, along with a slim portion of your own car.
    Ensure that you have taken a seat on the driver’s seat comfortable and you are good to drive. Only after sitting in the driver’s position, you can adjust the side-view mirrors properly.
    Also, many premium automobile manufacturers have come up with car models that let you adjust the side-view mirrors with a button’s help. Certain new models have a joystick or button on the dashboard to help you adjust the side-view mirror automatically.
    In older models, you adjust the mirrors according to your average calculations of the view behind. The new models come with technology with diverse settings to automatically adjust the mirrors with one click of a button.
  • Adjust the Rear-view Mirror

    The best way to adjust the rear-view mirror is by sitting on the driver’s seat and moving it according to your choice without moving your head. The rear-view mirror in your car needs to adjust so that you have a good view of the road behind your vehicle. You should be able to have a good view of the traffic behind without having to turn or move your body.
    As you drive along the road, the rear-view mirror lets you detect the oncoming traffic behind for a better and safe driving experience.
    The rear-view mirror also lets you see if you have an emergency vehicle like an ambulance behind you. Although you can hear the siren of an ambulance anyway, you will be able to see the word ‘ambulance’ in your rear-view mirror, which is written backwards on the ambulance vehicle.
    After all the mirrors are adjusted, you should check how the view is behind and on the side roads to see if the mirror adjustments are perfect. When the adjustments are proper, you are good to go for driving.

General Recommendations on How to use a Mirror Properly

  • Take a quick glance
    Regardless if you are driving a car or a bike, automotive vehicles require you to take a quick glance every 5 seconds on the mirrors. This is general driving advice recommended for safe driving so that you know of the oncoming traffic around and behind you.
  • When changing lanes, look at the rear-view
    When you are trying to change your way from one lane to another, you need to constantly keep a check on the side-view mirror to keep yourself informed of the vehicles behind you. This helps to change the lanes safely without any hassle.
  • Use the mirror while parallel parking
    Car mirrors are of the utmost importance when you are parking your car parallel in a tricky spot. The rear-view mirror helps you adjust your car in between the tight space without hitting the cars on the sides.

Conclusion
Car mirrors are an essential part of your vehicle that helps you drive safely. It also makes the cars look good as newer models have come up with sleek mirror designs and accessories. Car mirrors are such a part that you can change or modify them after you have purchased your car if you happen to dislike it. Thanks to the presence of spare providers like Boodmo, you can easily navigate from a wide variety of spare mirrors to match your driving needs.