How to Judge the Distance of Vehicles Using Rearview Mirrors?
3 Answers
If the vehicle behind is close to your car, it will appear larger in the rearview mirror. Below is a relevant introduction about rearview mirrors: 1. Function: Rearview mirrors are tools that allow drivers to directly obtain external information about the rear, sides, and lower parts of the car while seated in the driver's seat. For the convenience of the driver's operation, to prevent traffic safety accidents, and to ensure personal safety, all countries mandate that cars must be equipped with rearview mirrors, and all mirrors must be adjustable in direction. 2. Types: They are divided into interior rearview mirrors (designed to allow drivers to confirm the rear situation without significantly changing their forward line of sight), exterior rearview mirrors (usually mounted on the doors of passenger cars, though in Japan, some are mounted on the fenders), and downward-view mirrors (which enable drivers to see areas outside the front and rear wheels under the car body through the mirror directly in front of the driver's seat, helping them check for people or obstacles near the wheels when reversing or starting forward, thus avoiding injuries, damages, and ensuring convenience and safety for the driver).
With twenty years of driving experience, judging distance through rearview mirrors truly relies on skill. Initially, misjudgments were common, but I later discovered a few tricks: if a car appears as small as an ant in the mirror, it's at least 50 meters away and quite safe; if the car's front seems about to collide, it's dangerously close—immediately ease off the accelerator. The key is observing size changes while factoring in speed—on highways, cars close in rapidly, leaving less than a second to react, which is risky. I'd advise beginners to adjust mirror angles carefully—avoid setting them too high or low—and use the rear window as a reference point. If a car is completely hidden, it indicates ample space. Never rely solely on mirrors; always glance over your shoulder to check blind spots before changing lanes—a habit that has kept me collision-free. For practice, find an empty road and have someone follow you to develop an instinctive sense of real distance.
When I first started learning to drive, judging distances through the rearview mirror confused me. The instructor taught that a small car in the mirror means it's far, while a large one indicates proximity, but I often mixed them up. Once, while changing lanes, I thought a car was far away but nearly got rear-ended—it scared me. Later, I learned to combine interior reference points: for example, if the rear car is just blocked by the window frame, the distance is safe; if more is visible, I estimate speed and adjust. The mirror itself is convex, shrinking images, so I always remind myself not to rush and to look multiple times before acting. Once it became a habit, I practiced during daily commutes, observing changes in different conditions—like cars closing in faster during traffic jams but slower on highways. Growth comes from mistakes. Now I'm much more skilled, and distance judgment feels like part of my driving instinct.
