For long-haul drivers, truck side mirrors are one of the most crucial components for their journeys. These elements allow drivers to avoid blind spots and give them a glimpse of the traffic around the truck, among many other things. Truck side mirrors are crucial elements that impact the driver’s safety, which is why choosing them entails careful consideration. In this article, we’ll list down key factors you need to consider when choosing the best truck side mirror for your long-haul driving.
Visibility and adjustability: understanding two factors that impact a driver’s safety the most.
Given the usual long journey of long-haul truckers and spending extended hours behind the wheel, optimal visibility is paramount. At times like these, truck mirrors serve as their eyes on the road and keep them on the lookout, especially in challenging blind spots. Given their importance, choosing the right mirrors that maximize their field of view is a must, among many other things.
Field of view. This refers to the extent of viewable scenery as seen through the mirrors, and the ideal mirror for long-haul driving is the wide-angle mirror. As the name suggests, it offers a wider view of the road and immediate surroundings. This is crucial, especially when navigating small spaces, changing lanes, or even merging into highways.
Adjustability. Because drivers spend long hours sitting inside their vehicles, they tend to shift in their sitting position ever so lightly, which also impacts their view. Because of this, truck mirrors need to be adjustable to accommodate the changes in their seating positions. For times like these, it’s recommended to use mirrors with multiple points of adjustment and to be able to extend or retract their mirror arm.
Minimizing distortion. Speaking of adjustability, drivers need to see the images reflected in the mirror clearly, and it’s hard to do so if the images are distorted. Look for truck side mirrors that are designed to minimize distortion so drivers can judge objects shown in the mirror accordingly—enabling them to adjust their speed as needed and maneuver more accurately.
Heated mirrors. For long-haul drivers who operate in colder climates, heated mirrors are more than a happy addition to their vehicle. When it snows, heated mirrors can melt it and improve visibility; it also eliminates the need for drivers to stop and clean their mirrors now and then.
Exploring the different types of truck side mirrors.
There are a variety of truck side mirrors available on the market right now, each with its own pros and cons, which are the following:
West Coast mirrors. This is the usual go-to choice of long-haul truck drivers because they’re relatively easy to adjust and are pretty durable.
Spot mirrors. These mirrors are small, convex mirrors that you can usually find mounted on top of the main mirror. These are designed to eliminate blind spots, but drivers shouldn’t rely too much on them as their sole source of visibility.
Convex mirrors. This type of mirror is often used in tandem with flat mirrors since they provide a wider field of view of the surrounding area. Drivers need to be careful, though, since this mirror can make the images distorted.
Aerodynamic mirrors. This mirror is designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce wind resistance, but because of its usual smaller size, it offers a limited field of view.
Telescopic mirrors. Finally, we have telescopic mirrors, which are ideal for tow trailers since they offer extendable mirrors that have a wider field of view.
