How to Judge the Distance When Reversing Using the Rearview Mirror?
2 Answers
When reversing, the rearview mirror can be divided into four parts, with the outer 1/4 being the danger zone and the inner 3/4 being the safe zone. The specific details are as follows: 1. When the rear vehicle occupies 1/3 of the right rearview mirror, the distance is approximately 15 meters. When the rear vehicle occupies half of the right rearview mirror, the distance is about 10 meters. When the rear vehicle occupies half of the right rearview mirror, it indicates that the rear vehicle is very close, and turning operations are not advisable. 2. If the lower edge of the rear vehicle's tire is visible, the distance between the rear vehicle and the front vehicle is about 20 meters. At this distance, the safe speed is approximately 25 km/h. If the upper edge of the rear vehicle's headlight is visible, the distance from the rear trunk to the rear vehicle is about 3.5 meters. If the junction between the rear vehicle's engine hood and the front windshield is visible, the distance from the rear trunk to the rear vehicle is 1 meter. If the horizontal one-third of the rear vehicle's front windshield is visible, it means the vehicles are almost touching.
When I first started driving, reversing was a complete nightmare—I was always afraid of hitting a wall or another car. My instructor shared a little trick for judging distance using the rearview mirror: pay attention to how the position of objects changes in the mirror. For example, if you see the car behind at the bottom edge of the mirror while reversing, it means there’s still plenty of space—roughly over 5 meters. But if it fills the center of the mirror, you’re down to just 2-3 meters, so hit the brakes fast. I used to practice in an empty parking lot with a cardboard box to get a feel for the proportions. Lighting also makes a big difference—turn on more lights at night to avoid distorted reflections. Even though I now have a backup camera, I still rely more on the mirrors. Remember: don’t rush. Before every reverse, adjust your mirrors for a wide field of view instead of fixating on one spot. With enough practice, it becomes muscle memory. For new drivers, I’d suggest spending ten minutes daily on this—safety is no small matter.
