Rear-view mirrors offer extra visibility and awareness to a driver without him needing to take sight away from the road ahead. The proper use of rear-view mirrors is one of the most basic driving safety measures. Throughout the history of the automobile, only four types of rear-view mirrors have been developed and proven effective.
The overhead mirror is possibly the most frequently used rear-view mirror and is mandatory by law in most areas. This mirror is most commonly glued to the top of the windshield and offers a wide rear view with the least amount of effort. The best range of view for this mirror are for objects located directly behind and opposite the driver, with blind spots located usually at 90 to 30 degrees opposite the driver. Wider, panoramic overhead mirrors are available and can greatly reduce these blind spots.
The side-view mirror is most commonly located outside the car near the front-door support "A" pillar. This mirror is mandatory for only the driver's side of the vehicle, but most auto manufacturers today place them on both sides of the vehicle. The side mirrors offer a view of objects next to and behind the vehicle, with similar blind spots to the overhead mirror at 30 degrees.
A convex mirror is made in the shape of a dome, and though reflections are distorted, this mirror can greatly improve the driver's view of surrounding objects that may be in the blind spots of the other mirrors. The convex mirror is typically small and comes with an adhesive backing for application on existing mirrors.
Rear-view cameras have been growing in popularity in recent years. These cameras are typically only a fraction of an inch in size and can be stealthily mounted on the back of the vehicle. Rear-view cameras are on a closed circuit with a small screen located on the dashboard of the vehicle and offer a clear picture of objects that are otherwise unseen in rear-view mirrors. These are most commonly found on luxury cars and large recreational vehicles like motor homes.
Mirrors have a tendency of distorting images and can often mislead a driver of existing surroundings and not displaying every object that may be present. Always turn your head to double check blind spots when performing maneuvers like parking and changing lanes.
