How to properly adjust the mirrors in the car

The rear-view mirror as a necessary element that improves visibility appeared quite a long time ago - in the 20s of the XX century. The mirror was a salon mirror, and only 20 years later it began to be supplemented with a left side mirror. As for the domestic auto industry and traffic legislation, the intensity of road traffic made it possible to get by with one salon mirror even in the post-war period. Only in the 50s did Soviet cars begin to be equipped with a left mirror on the wing or on the driver's door. The third mirror - the right side - could be installed at the request of the driver, but was not mandatory. And only since the end of the 80s in the vastness of Russia, three mirrors have become familiar. To fully control the traffic situation, each driver needs to know how to properly adjust the mirrors in the car.

Adjusting the side mirrors

You can argue about which of their mirrors is more important when driving, but each of them performs its function. As a result of adjustment, all three mirrors should form a single panorama with a minimum of dead zones.

Left

Before adjusting the mirrors, make sure that the driver's seat is set as comfortable as possible for you. If you first adjust the mirrors, and then the position of the chair, the work will be wasted. Once you are comfortable, do the following:

1. Look in the left mirror with your head tilted towards the side window, as if you want to lean out of the car. You should be able to see the fender as well as the doors of your car.
2. Return to starting position. In this way, you should mainly observe the road, and the body of the car can only be seen in the form of a wing edge.
3. The image in the left mirror should represent the roadway and airspace in a 60/40 ratio.

Checking the correct setting of the left mirror

Many drivers tilt the mirror closer to the body of the car in order to see the entire side of the car. They forget that this limits the view on the left side and may not notice a car overtaking to the side or driving across from behind.

Right

The right mirror has been optional for the longest time, because in right-hand traffic, this side has less control. However, the right side mirror is absolutely necessary when overtaking and avoiding obstacles on the left. For proper adjustment, follow these steps:

1. Lean to the right from your usual position. Your head should be approximately in the middle of the cabin. In the mirror you should see the wing of your car.
2. Sit in the seat in the usual way. Only the edge of the wing should be visible in the mirror.
3. The ratio of earth and sky in the right mirror should be approximately 70/30.

Checking the correct setting of the right mirror

The process of adjusting the side mirrors is similar: the body of your car should not block the view.

Interior mirror adjustment

Salon mirror appeared the very first in the car. It provides rear visibility. Unlike side mirrors, the image in the interior mirror can be obscured by passengers or the driver himself, so you should be especially careful when adjusting it. The internal reflector is flat so as not to distort the perspective, because the driver must correctly estimate the distance to the object behind the car. Sitting comfortably, do the adjustment in the following sequence:

1. Make sure that your rear window and what is behind it, outside the car, can be seen in the mirror.
2. Depending on your height and position, reflections in the mirror of the headrest or the driver's head are allowed. The heads of the rear passengers will be visible in any case.
3. Check slope. If the trunk of the car and only part of the road is reflected, the mirror is too low. The ceiling should also not be visible, otherwise the mirror is idle. Ideally, the center of the mirror should line up with the middle of the rear window.

This is the view that should be after the correct adjustment of the interior mirror

Also, avoid cluttering up the rear window unless absolutely necessary. Sometimes seeing the space behind the car is vital.

Areas that do not fall into shadow in this image are blind

Video: what is a blind zone

Rear-view mirrors - how to learn how to use.

Technological progress already today makes it possible to replace all rear-view mirrors with surveillance cameras and an image displayed on the screen. However, will the usual mirrors disappear in production cars? Indeed, in addition to certain progressive countries like Japan, driving without mirrors is prohibited by traffic rules.