Identification

• When the center rear view mirror did not provide a wide enough scope of visibility for the increasing number of drivers and automobiles on the road, additional mirrors were attached to the car exterior. According to "The Geometry of Automotive Rear view Mirrors-Why Blind Zones Exist and Strategies to Overcome Them," by engineer George Platzer, "Unfortunately, outside mirrors meeting Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 still do not provide adequate adjacent lane visibility to view cars that are in the range of one car length to the rear. That is, a blindzone exists where a vehicle is not visible in either the inside mirror or the outside mirror."
  
  

Effects

• People consistently err when positioning car mirrors. As a result, car companies push advanced mirror inventions and blind spot technology. While mirrors that show LCD turn signals and a variety of other new safety devices contribute to safer lane changing, new inventions reinforce blind spot helplessness and propagate the notion that drivers cannot help the problem. In Christopher Jensen's New York Times interview with Steve Kozak, Ford's Chief Safety Engineer, Kozak acknowledged that, "side mirrors can be set to eliminate the blind zone. But most drivers don't adjust their mirrors that way."
  
  

Considerations

• Improper mirror placement exacerbates blind spots, while proper positioning significantly decreases the danger. According to the Smart Motorist website, "Many drivers do not turn their outside mirrors out far enough and simply duplicate the same scene in all three mirrors. Rule of thumb: If you can see even a glimpse of the sides of your car in your outside mirrors they are turned too far inwards." The side mirrors should cover ground the rear view mirror cannot, creating a wider range of vision.
  
  

Prevention/ Solution

• All vehicles have varying degrees of blind spots. Adjust the rearview mirror so the entire rear window of the car is viewable. According to smartmotorist.com, "For the driver's side mirror: Place the side of your head against the window, then adjust the mirror until the side of your vehicle comes into view. For the passenger's side mirror: While sitting in the driver's seat, lean to the right so that your head is in the car's centerline. Adjust the mirror until the side of your vehicle comes into view." When aligned properly, a vehicle exiting your rearview mirror should seamlessly pass to one of your side view mirrors.
  
  

Precautions

• Never prolong driving in another vehicle's blind spot. Pass or decrease speed instead. According to The National Safety Commission, "When you are positioned to the left or right rear of a car ahead, look to see if you can see the other car's inside rear view mirror. If the view of that mirror is blocked, the other driver cannot see you." Inexpensive, rear view camera systems effectively minimize blind spots.