Have you ever noticed that most road accidents occur due to changing lanes and overtaking while driving? That is why blind spots in a car mirror are significant. Let’s see how this blind spot in a car mirror can help you be safe.

Drivers can see more of what is next to their car with blind-spot mirrors. In some cases, especially when turning, drivers using traditional mirrors cannot see the people, bicycles, and automobiles just beside them.

The driver can’t see certain parts around a car in blind spots, which aren’t visible through windows or regular mirrors. While drivers can’t see bikers, motorcycles, or pedestrians, particularly while the tractor-trailer is turning, blind spots are a major cause of many truck accidents.

According to US regulations, trucks must have blind-spot mirrors, which provide drivers with a broader range of vision compared with standard mirrors to limit the rate of accidents.

The number of collisions involving truckers, motorcycle riders, cyclists, or pedestrians has decreased because of blind-spot mirrors.

How Do Blind Spot Mirrors Work?

 

Convex mirrors, called blind spot mirrors, are usually placed outside a car to broaden the driver’s view around the sides and back. The curved surface of the blind spot mirror allows a broader range of angles to be reflected than traditional side view mirrors.

Comparable in size to the side or rearview car mirrors, a blind spot mirror is smaller. They are usually attached to the side-view mirrors but can also be installed on the front or back windows.

Where Should Blind Spot Mirrors Be Placed?

 

The blind spots to the right and left of the driver’s seat should be visible through a blind spot mirror. However, ensure your wing mirrors are correctly adjusted so you can’t see your car’s side before adjusting the blind spot mirror. You’ll be able to see things that the typical mirror doesn’t show.

Blind spot mirrors should be mounted on the side mirrors, slanted inward, to enable viewing of the blind spots. But not all vehicles fall under this. It would be best to experiment with mirror positioning to deliver the best possible blind spot coverage.

Where Are a Car’s Blind Spots?

 

The majority of cars have two or more primary blind spots. They are found on each side of the car, next to the front and rear doors, and behind the side-view mirrors.

According to the placement and size of the pillars, the car’s appearance can also result in blind spots. After all, if every aspect of car design were driven by function, the result would be an extremely uninteresting shape.

The A-pillars are typically the problem in most autos. The upright pillar that curves upward into the roof and is located between the uppermost portion of the front doors and the sides of the windscreen is known as the A-pillar. The pillars may create a blind area toward the sides of the building, depending on the design.

You may not be able to see vehicles or pedestrians coming when you leave a junction due to a blind spot created by the pillars, based on how the vehicle is designed, towards the sides of the fenders.

The C- and even D-pillars on larger SUVs, typically found on models with a third row, can be pretty broad, adding to the two main blind spots already discussed. You need to get me started on panel vans, which further narrow the field of view from their rearview mirrors.

How To Mitigate Your Blind Spot By Adjusting Your Mirrors

 

Who needs to become more familiar with mirror adjustments for their rearview? Turn a small knob in the armrest in the driver’s seat, and voila! It’s done.

If you’re used to adjusting your mirrors that way, if you have to adjust them anyhow, then you’ve certainly had that hair-raising moment on the highway when you attempt to get into the left lane only to discover another driver is already present. And they refuse to share. They believe you are about to violate some physical rule regarding two items sharing the same area.

Guidelines for Adjusting the Mirrors in Your Car

 

Perfecting your mirrors can be done without specific tools or abilities. Stay calm. Here’s how to do it:

Lean Left:

 

Lean until your forehead is in contact with the window glass to adjust the driver’s side mirror. Once you can make out the side of your car, adjust the mirror. It should be impossible for you to see your car when you are sitting upright in the driver’s seat.

Leaning Right:

 

Once you’ve adjusted the driver’s side mirror, lean until your head is slightly above the center console. Only the tiniest portion of your car should be visible.

Remember that this adjustment procedure only functions if your mirrors can be electronically adjusted. You must open the window or turn around to the opposite side of the car if you need to move the mirror glass by hand rather than using a switch. Position your head as best you can, or ask a friend to adjust the mirrors as you sit.

Different Types Of Blind Spot Mirrors

 

Though they come in various styles, all blind spot mirrors perform the same essential functions. The blind spot mirror can be installed by the driver using hardware such as sticking or clipping. Let’s look at the various kinds of blind spot mirrors.

Blind Spot Mirror With Clip

Blind spot mirrors that stick on and clip on are very similar. Instead of sticking to your side-view mirrors, clip-on mirrors attach to them. This makes them slightly more challenging to install, but they are also less likely to fall off.

Stick-On Blind Spot Mirror

 

The least expensive and most widely used blind spot mirrors are stick-on versions. Remove the adhesive backing from the stick-on blind spot mirrors, then press them firmly onto the mirror to install them.

Rearview Mirror With Blind Spot Mirror

 

Rearview blind spot mirrors are mounted on the rearview mirror providing a particular viewpoint. These blind spot mirrors are installed inside the cabin of a car. Despite being relatively easy to install, some drivers might find them irritating.

Blind Spot Mirror Mounted In A Window

 

Suction cups attach these blind spot mirrors to the car’s external mirrors instead of adhering or attaching them. Although window-mounted blind spot mirrors are slightly more expensive than other varieties, they make your car look like a truck’s side mirrors.

When Should You Check Your Car’s Blind Spots?

 

Once you’re on a highway, be sure you can see everything before changing lanes. Turn on your indicator, check your mirrors and blind spot, and then only merge when you’re sure the route is clear. Remember that you can be in another driver’s blind spot too.

Driving In A Blind Spot

Drivers failing to check their blind spots frequently result in accidents. Due to this, driving instructors advise new drivers on where to find their blind spots and when to check them.

There are some regions that a driver cannot see in the mirrors, even though mirrors give them a wide field of view. A bike or another vehicle can readily be hidden in these blind spots.

If not being able to check the right blind spot at the proper time results in most driving exams being failed.

Blind Spot Alert System

 

You are alerted by these features when cars enter your blind spots. If a car is next to you in another lane and you use your turn signal, they could give you an additional warning.

This function will alert you if a vehicle, or occasionally other items, are in your left or right blind spot. You’ll see warnings in your side view mirrors or on the windshield. When you use your turn signal, and there is a car in your blind zone, the advanced versions of this feature will give an auditory warning.

The Technology Used

 

The sensors used for this feature continuously scan the sides of the road. They are designed to function at highway speeds. If you try to move into a lane where another car is next to yours, advanced features will interact with your turn signal to give you more warnings.

Is It Possible to Reduce or Remove Blind Spots?

 

There are techniques to reduce the size of those blind spots, but humans haven’t yet reached the point in development where we have eyes on the backs of our heads. It is now possible to adjust the side-view mirrors to lessen or eliminate these spots.

Conclusion

 

Here we concluded that blind spot mirrors are essential while driving and to reduce accidents.

Drivers get a better view of what is beside their vehicle via blind-spot mirrors. With traditional mirrors, drivers frequently struggle to see people, bicycles, and cars immediately next to them, especially at turning points.

Is it a good idea to use blind spot mirrors? These mirrors come in handy when operating a vehicle. The blind spot is invisible to drivers. A hazardous collision is more likely if a car or a pedestrian enters this blind region. To prevent accidents, you can see the blind zone clearly with these special mirrors fitted to your side-view mirrors.