How To Adjust Your Mirrors To Avoid Blind Spots - Car And Driver

Maybe your like

Cars By Category
Expert Reviews
Car Buying Guide
Shopping Tools and Advice
Car Buying Service
Stories and Features
News
Expert-Tested Gear
New Cars
Follow
Podcast
Videos
Subscribe to the Magazine
About Us
Newsletter

SHOP NEW CARSNew!
SHOP USED CARSNew!
Research Cars
Expert Reviews
WHAT’S MY CAR WORTH?
Expert-Tested Gear
News + Stories

Follow Car and Driver

Subscribe to the magazineAbout UsContact Us

Global Nav Search

Subscribesign in

SHOP NEW CARS
SHOP USED CARS
Research Cars
Expert Reviews
WHAT’S MY CAR WORTH?
Expert-Tested Gear
News + Stories

Mode of transport, Transport, Line, Rectangle, Illustration, Water transportation, Clip art, Public transport, Graphics, Drawing,

From the March 2010 Issue of Car and Driver

For the past few years, various carmakers have been offering blind-spot detection systems for their cars’ side mirrors. Often complex, these systems employ cameras or radar to scan the adjoining lanes for vehicles that may have disappeared from view.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) published a paper in 1995 suggesting how outside mirrors could be adjusted to eliminate blind spots. The paper advocates adjusting the mirrors so far outward that the viewing angle of the side mirrors just overlaps that of the cabin’s rearview mirror. This can be disorienting for drivers used to seeing the flanks of their own car in the side mirrors. But when correctly positioned, the mirrors negate a car’s blind spots. This obviates the need to glance over your shoulder to safely change lanes as well as the need for an expensive blind-spot warning system.

The only problem is getting used to the SAE-recommended mirror positions. The cabin’s rearview mirror is used to keep an eye on what is coming up from behind, while the outside mirrors reflect the area outside the view of the inside rearview mirror.

Those who have switched to the SAE’s approach swear by it, however, some drivers can’t adjust to not using the outside mirrors to see directly behind the car and miss being able to see their own car in the side mirrors. To them we say, “Have fun filling out those accident reports.”

Colorfulness, Screenshot, Games, Animation, Video game software,

Tony QuirogaEditor-in-Chief

Tony Quiroga is a 20-year-veteran Car and Driver editor, writer, and car reviewer and the 19th editor-in-chief for the magazine since its founding in 1955. He has subscribed to Car and Driver since age six. "Growing up, I read every issue of Car and Driver cover to cover, sometimes three or more times. It's the place I wanted to work since I could read," Quiroga says. He moved from Automobile Magazine to an associate editor position at Car and Driver in 2004. Over the years, he has held nearly every editorial position in print and digital, edited several special issues, and also helped produce C/D's early YouTube efforts. He is also the longest-tenured test driver for Lightning Lap, having lapped Virginia International Raceway's Grand Course more than 2000 times over 12 years.

Watch Next