Keeping it simple
In aswering the question of how often you need to check your mirrors.I’ll try to keep this as simple as possible so it’s relatively pain free for us both.
However, you’re going to be going a little deeper into the world of mirrors and look at some reasons why, not just because you’ll pass/fail your driving test but actually why you’re doing it and how its going to keep you safe once you’ve passed.
Promise I’ll try not to go all “Driving Instructor” on you though.
As a driving instructor this is something I get asked alot on driving lessons and as the expert in all this driving I get some odd looks when I ask a question straight back. I ask my standard question ‘What do you think?’
The replies are staggering. From every 3 seconds, I suppose looking forwards must be an odd concept to these guys to ‘well my mate failed because they only checked every 10 seconds so I’ve got a timer in my pocket set to 8 seconds’ and the ‘well my Dad says it’s ridiculous to have to know what’s behind you, that’s their problem, not yours if they hit you.’ I suppose neither are wrong but in the same way that they aren’t maybe the best solution and that’s where we always begin. ‘Is there a better way?’
Sadly, the response I give usually requires some thought and even more sadly it involves my usual ‘well it depends, what might happen if….’
I’ll start by referring you to the hazard perception section of your theory test. See you knew there was a reason for it!
So the hazard perception in a nutshell is trying to get you to look for, identify and react to a hazard on the road ahead. The reaction when doing this is a mouse button click or a screen tap. When do you tap the button? As soon as you see the hazard.
Now take this into the real world of driving. You are still hopefully trying to spot the hazards ahead of you, and trying to spot them in plenty of time but now we’re replacing the mouse click with a mirror check.
So, I suppose the best thing to suggest is that you check when you need to…right?
Well, yes but it’s not quite that simple, you knew that already though.
Why do you check your mirrors?
To pass the driving test obviously but is there more to it? Of course, there is.
Why do you actually need to check your mirrors? Well, it’s got more to do with keeping yourself safe and ensuring you have time to keep yourself safe.
Dad’s answer (sorry Dad) “Well it’s their fault if they hit you from behind ” is true but won’t stop you from potentially getting hurt or worse. ?
So how can knowing what’s behind you keep you safer?
It gives you time to make a plan.
Let’s imagine a scenario together.
You’re driving along on a driving lesson or after you’ve passed your test. You spot a HAZARD? around 75 metres away and know you’ll need to brake about 30 metres away from them to ensure you’ll stop in time or be slow enough to deal with the hazard. 30 metres to go you check what’s behind you and all you can see is a lorry. I mean like it’s all you can see. You still have to brake then to be slow enough to be safe so you brake, the lorry driver isn’t paying attention and suddenly realises too late.
But you checked your mirrors so it wasn’t your fault..right?
Let’s change the scenario, now exactly the same but this time you check your mirrors as soon as you’ve seen the hazard, still all you can see is lorry. This time however you have the advantage of time. You can take ownership and make a plan to stay safe.
You’ll still need to brake at 30 metres to be at a safe enough speed when you get there but now you have an extra 45 metres to slow down so you could put a signal on earlier if it wouldn’t confuse anyone, an indicator is a signal that you’re going to slow down to do something in the first instance, so tell them. Or you could just ease off the accelerator.
The small amount of speed decrease might give the same signal, this is especially good if you’re going straight on or an indicator might confuse someone. What then happens is that the lorry behind will spot you’re doing something and react accordingly by hopefully giving you more room to slow down as you need to.
A mirror check could also be useful before you turn into a road especially now responsibility lies with the driver to keep pedestrians or other vulnerable road users SAFE. It would be very handy to know what is following you around the corner in case you need to brake or slow down.
Door mirrors or side mirrors – What are they there for?
Hopefully, now you have a better understanding of why you are checking your mirrors which will allow me to tell you how often you need to check them to pass your test.
In as few words as possible.
As many times as you need to.
There you go, that’s it. Check them whenever you spot a hazard on the road ahead and think you might need to do something.
If that’s every 8 seconds then that’s fine but unlikely.
It’s all about reducing your risk and keeping you safer.
*Bonus*
Finally, this is something that I think is really important and probably worth its own blog.
When you check your mirrors. Look at them, don’t glance out of the corner of your eye. You look at a mirror when brushing your teeth or sorting your hair etc so if those takes are important enough for your mirror to get a full look at then so is looking out for the motorbike in your mirror.
And it’ll make the examiner’s job a bit easier ?
Hope this makes sense of it all and as usual, if you want to get in touch about this or need a question answering drop me an email at my personal email ian@revolutiondrivinglessons.co.uk I promise to reply to you.
Revolution Driving Lessons offer expert driving instructors in the Mansfield, Sutton in Ashfield, Kirkby in Ashfield, Alfreton, Hucknall and Matlock areas.