Monthly Archives: July 2014

Question: What are blind spots and how do you get rid of them?

Answer:  Blind spots are those areas toward the rear of your vehicle on each side that you can’t see in your rearview mirrors. You can’t get rid of them but you can reduce them tremendously.

Checking your blind spot before making a lane change is simple to do and it’s a good habit to get into if you want to avoid a crash with a car that may be hidden behind you. To check your blind spot, you don’t have to turn your body around, all you need to do is to turn your head to the left or right with your chin over your shoulder and you should be able to see anything that is there.

It’s impossible to completely do away with blind spots but you can reduce them a great deal by the proper positioning of your mirrors. This may take a little getting used to and you’ll still have to check your blind spots but they’ll be a lot smaller. To properly adjust your mirrors:

Step 1. – Adjust your center mirror so that it covers the greatest area possible behind your vehicle.

Step 1

Step 2. – Lean your body over to the left until your head touches the window and then, adjust your left (driver) side mirror until you just barely see the rear of your vehicle on the right hand side of the mirror.

Step 2

Step 3 – Now lean your head over to the right about the same distance as you did on the left and adjust your right (passenger) side mirror the same way.

Step 3

Now, sitting upright, with both outside mirrors adjusted this way, as a vehicle moves over to pass, you’ll see it divided between the two mirrors. Once it moves completely into the other lane, you’ll be able to see it in your outside mirror almost up to the point where it enters your peripheral (side) vision.