Mirrors isn’t just the latest hit from pop-icon Justin Timberlake.
Here are some quick tips to get your car mirrors placed and functioning correctly, so you can see everything you need to when driving around in your Cairns Airport car rental.
Rear-view mirror
This is your key to finding out what’s happening behind you – a very important tool to have when you’re on a road trip around Australia.
When it comes to positioning your rear-view mirror, the basic rule is that you should be able to see your entire back windshield and the road behind.
This can be achieved by making sure the mirror is facing the dead-centre of your rear window.
You shouldn’t have to move your head to be able to see out of the back of your car – just your eyes.
Wing mirrors
These handy side reflectors are designed to help you see the area around your car that is not covered by your rear-view mirror or your own peripheral vision, so you can change lanes with ease.
You may have heard that your wing mirrors should be positioned so you can see the sides of your car – this, according to multiple sources, is actually incorrect.
Here’s the correct way to set them up:
When seated behind the wheel of your car, lean your head against the driver’s-side window and adjust the left wing mirror until the rear end of the car is just visible.
Then, place your body so that your head is as close to the middle of the car as possible (somewhere between the driver’s seat and the front passenger’s seat), and carefully move the right wing mirror until you get that just-visible vehicle rear end again.
If your wing mirrors are set up properly, you shouldn’t have to move your head to gaze into them and you should never lose sight of cars that may be driving past you.
Easy, right? Now your trip will be a whole lot safer, and you’ll get to see a whole lot more of Cairns!