Full sets of Mirror Checks
Performing a full set of mirror checks
By definition a full set of mirror checks has to be checking all of the mirrors available to you. The questions are, in which order and why?
The Order of Mirror Checks:
The order in which you are expected to check the mirrors is: centre, right, then left.
It is important to realise that you do not want your eyes taken from the road ahead for too long. If you check the central mirror then move your head straight down to the right side door mirror and follow this by an immediate sweep across to the left side door mirror before looking back through the windscreen then you will have taken your eyes off the road for too long.
Instead, you should break up the sequence by looking through the windscreen as follows
- Check the central mirror then look through the windscreen
- Check the right side door mirror then look through the windscreen
- Check the left side door mirror then look through the windscreen
This sequence enables you to check out the area immediately behind and either side of your vehicle whilst maintaining your forward observations.
The Reason for this order:
The reason that the mirror checks are performed in this order is for safety reasons.
The most common accident on the road is being shunted from behind by another driver, often using a mobile telephone. The next most common accidemts occur on the right side of the car. Overtaking traffic taking off a wing mirror or drivers changing lanes or leaving a roundabout without checking properly for other traffic. The least most common accidents happen on the left side of the vehicle.
