How to Adjust Rearview Mirrors for Reverse Parking?
3 Answers
Reverse parking requires adjusting the right rearview mirror to see the right rear wheel as much as possible, while the left rearview mirror should show the farthest point possible while still maintaining visibility of the car body. Below are specific details about reverse parking: 1. Utilizing Rearview Mirrors: The driver's rearview mirror is a flat mirror, making it easier to judge the distance between the car body and rear obstacles and to determine if the car is parked "straight." 2. Function of Rearview Mirrors: The passenger-side rearview mirror is a convex mirror with slight curvature, primarily used during reverse parking to observe obstacles on the right side of the car. It can be slightly angled downward to better view the right-side road conditions. 3. Positioning Rearview Mirrors: Whether it's the left or right exterior rearview mirrors or the interior rearview mirror, they should be adjusted so that the horizon is at the midpoint vertically in the mirror when the driver is in a normal driving position. Additionally, the car body should occupy no more than one-fourth of the mirror's surface area in both exterior mirrors.
I've been driving for over a decade, and parallel parking has always been my biggest headache, but there are tricks to adjusting the mirrors. For the left mirror, position the front door handle at the bottom center of the mirror. For the right mirror, make sure about one-third of the mirror shows the car body. This way, you can clearly see the wheels and the parking lines when reversing. When adjusting, sit up straight and hold the steering wheel first, or the position might be off. Remember to also check the interior rearview mirror—perfect coordination between all three mirrors is key. Some people prefer lowering the mirrors to see the rear wheels, but I recommend leaving some space to see the sky through the sunroof to avoid overhead obstacles. Practice a few times at first to find the most comfortable angle for you—after all, every car's dimensions are slightly different.
As a mom who shuttles kids every day, I've found that adjusting mirrors properly is crucial for safe reversing. Set the left mirror so the ground occupies two-thirds, and the right mirror to show just a slim strip of the car body. This way you can directly see whether the rear wheels are crossing lines. Remember to fasten your seatbelt and sit upright while adjusting, using your fingers to tweak the buttons gradually. Particularly tilt the right mirror downward - otherwise the blind spot near the right rear wheel becomes hazardous. I always roll down both windows beforehand for better visibility, sometimes even leaning out to verify positioning. Now when parallel parking, just two glances at the mirrors tell me exactly how much to steer - more precise and reliable than relying on reversing cameras.
