3 simple steps to reducing your blind spot.

The dreaded blind-spot has plagued drivers for decades, but did you know that you can all but eliminate it with only some fine tuning of your rear and side-view mirrors? Here are three simple steps to getting a better view of the road around you:

Step 1.

Let’s start with your rear-view mirror. Its job is simple: to help you see directly behind you. Some folks rely on their side-view mirrors for that, but that’s a bit unintuitive. To begin your adjustments, simply turn your rear-view mirror to cover your view straight out the rear window.

Step 2.

Next, position your head in such a way that it almost touches your driver-side window. Looking into your left side-view mirror, adjust it so that you can just barely see the left side of your car. The goal here is to show you less of what you don’t need to see (your own car), and more of what you do need to see (other cars).

Step 3.

Lean towards the middle of the car and look into your right side-view mirror. Just like in step 2, adjust the right side mirror so that you can just barely see the right side of your car. When sat perfectly upright, you should NOT be able to see the side of your car at all. Again, this is to give you a better view of what’s around you as opposed to the side of your own vehicle.

Testing the results.

Now it’s time to check for blind spots! Here’s how you can confirm that you’ve given yourself a complete view of the road behind and beside you:

• The next time you find yourself driving in the right lane, pay close attention to any vehicle in the left lane that appears as though it’s going to pass through.
• Without moving your head, direct your eyes towards the rear-view mirror and follow the vehicle as it approaches your car from the left.
• Before it disappears from view in the rear-view mirror, quickly glance at your left side-view mirror. If you’ve adjusted your mirrors correctly, you should see the vehicle immediately.
• Follow that vehicle’s reflection in the left side-view mirror, and just before it passes out of view, you should see it with your peripheral vision through your driver-side window.
• If these adjustments were made correctly, you would be able to follow that car through your peripheral vision and rear & side-view mirrors. This means that you’ve effectively eliminated your blind spot.
• Perform the same test on your right passenger-side view mirror.
• If you notice a blind spot for even a fraction of a second, your mirrors need  some more fine-tuning.

Did you already know about this tip, or do you have any others to share? Let us know in the comments section below!