Ways to Deal with Blind Spots When Driving

Reflection of traffic flow in left side rear view mirror at rush hour, watch your blindspot

Accidents and close calls are an unavoidable part of driving. However, there are steps you can take to better protect yourself on the road. Tactics like defensive and mindful driving go a long way in keeping you and your car safe, but what about those dreaded blind spots?

It’s a common misconception that there’s nothing anyone can do about blind spots reminds pothitakislaw.com. While many believe you simply cannot see these areas while driving, there are ways to avoid them and increase your view of the vehicles around you. Here’s what you need to know. 

Adjusting Your Mirrors

One of the best ways to eliminate blind spots is simply adjusting your mirrors. Your rearview mirror should have your rear window perfectly framed or as close to perfect as it can get. You always need full visibility of what’s behind you.

As for your side mirrors, they need to e further out than you might think. Most people believe that you should see the side of your car, but that’s a myth that can lead to an accident. You should adjust the mirrors until your car is no longer visible. This gives you a line of sight to those pesky blind spots behind your back tires.

Adjustment Tips

You can take your visibility one step further by ensuring a perfect side mirror alignment with this simple trick. Rest your head against the driver side window and move the left-sidemirror until only a sliver of your vehicle is visible. Place your head in over the center console and do the same with your right-side mirror. 

The Head Turn

It’s a rare to see a driver turn their head to check for cars in adjacent lanes. Personal injury attorneys familiar with auto accidents recommend doing so every time you want to merge as well as periodically to better visualize your surroundings. Don’t rely on your mirrors all the time.

Approaching Cars

While driving, it’s also vital that you pay attention to cars as they approach. This lets you know when cars are coming up behind you and which lane they are in. The more aware you are of your surroundings and other drivers on the road, the safer you are while driving. 

Nothing Is Perfect

Even with these tips and tricks, it’s impossible to eliminate all of your blind spots. There will always be a small amount of space that you simply cannot see because of your vehicle’s support for the roof. Even so, you can still incorporate safe driving practices into your daily routine. 

A wrongful death lawyer suggests mindful driving techniques. That includes eliminating distractions, keeping your music at a reasonable volume, and looking around from time to time to identify other drivers. This allows you to practice defensive driving.

Driving defensively let’s you anticipate potential accidents and avoid them. Moving over to an open lane when someone merges too close is an excellent example. Dealing with blind spots isn’t difficult. It just takes a little know how and awareness.