Rear and side view mirrors provide a much-needed layer of safety for drivers. Without them, you’d have to throw caution to the wind (and your neck muscles!) as you dangerously crane around to switch lanes – not ideal! Sure, there are still blind spots that require a quick turnaround in the driver’s seat; but it sure beats not being able to see anything at all beyond what lies directly ahead. Mirrors enable us to eyeball almost all elements on the road without any extreme maneuvers, so next time when changing lanes or backing up remember how convenient they are!
Driving with a trailer or boat can put your rearview mirror out of commission. Luckily, larger vehicles like SUVs or trucks have specially designed towing mirrors that give them a greater range of vision so they can safely maneuver their load.
Extended mirrors and Attachable mirrors are the most popular forms of mirrors available in the market. To attach an extended mirror, the inside panels on your front doors need to be removed first. Yeah, the process is a little bit tricky here. If that seems like too much hassle (no judgment here), simply place the Attachable mirror directly onto the existing one – clip ’em or slide ’em into place for expanded visibility without reinventing the wheel.
Using Mirrors While Towing
Size Matters
Don’t listen to those who say size doesn’t matter, because it does when towing! If you’re driving a vehicle that’s 50 feet long, then 5 inches is the magic number when it comes to mirror diameter! There is a handy guide for properly sizing your towing mirrors. All you need to do is take the combined length of both the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle and then divide the total length by 10 – from this, you’ll be able to determine how many inches the diameter of the mirror should be.
Clean it Properly
Driving with dirty towing mirrors is no Bueno! Road grime can quickly obscure important visual cues, putting you at risk of causing a collision during everyday maneuvers. The good news? Making sure your tow vehicle’s mirrors are squeaky clean helps ensure safe travels for the whole gang – and that should be on everyone’s checklist before setting off! In short, just make sure to give those mirrors some TLC before heading out again!
Make Adjustments
The towing mirror needs to be positioned correctly otherwise it can lead to severe visibility issues. First, you need to make sure that the mirrors are positioned straight, and then hop into the driver’s seat and adjust the left mirror so you can see 200 feet behind the vehicle. Then have someone help with the right side for that extra set of eyes – when they say two heads are better than one, this is what they mean! Now you are good to go!
Length
Ensure that your mirrors are both generous in width and height to fully maximize their utility. The extra width of the towing mirror can prove handy when the driver needs to extend his field of vision and enjoy greater visibility while behind the wheel. Towing vehicles are typically built taller than other cars on the road. Therefore, to ensure safety and visibility while driving, it is essential that the vehicle mirrors reflect as much of the ground below a driver’s view as possible and thus making those pesky blind spots a thing of the past. And let’s not forget how these extended side-views also help keep our kids safe!
