Skip to content 
Most of us learn how to adjust our car mirrors early in our driving journey. We sit in the driver’s seat, move the side mirrors until we can see the sides of our vehicle, make a few small adjustments, and drive away feeling confident that everything is positioned correctly.
It seems simple enough. After all, if you can see your car in the mirror, you know where it is in relation to the road. What could possibly be wrong with that?
As it turns out, there is another way to position your side mirrors that may help you see more of the traffic around you and reduce the blind spots that can make changing lanes dangerous.
The surprising part? You may have been adjusting your side mirrors the same way for years without realizing that a small change could improve your view of the road.
The technique involves pointing your side mirrors farther outward than many drivers are accustomed to doing. At first, it might feel strange because you will see less of your own car. But the goal is to give your mirrors a job they are better suited to perform: showing you the areas beside your vehicle that your interior rearview mirror cannot cover.
Let’s look at why this method works, how to try it safely, and what every driver should know before changing their mirror settings.
The Common Mistake Almost Everyone Understands
Think about the last time you adjusted your side mirrors.
You probably leaned forward slightly, looked at the mirror, and tilted it until a portion of your car’s rear door or bodywork appeared along one edge. Perhaps you were taught to keep the rear door handle visible as a reference point.
This traditional approach feels natural because it helps you understand where your vehicle ends. When parking, reversing, or maneuvering through a narrow space, seeing part of your car can be reassuring.
However, there is a potential disadvantage.
Your interior rearview mirror already provides a view of much of the road directly behind you. When both side mirrors are pointed too far inward, they can repeat some of that same view instead of showing more of the lanes alongside your vehicle.
That overlap can leave an area beside the rear quarter of your car difficult to see in any mirror.
Imagine a car approaching from behind in the next lane. You see it in your interior mirror, but as it moves alongside your vehicle, it may disappear from that mirror before becoming visible in your side mirror.
For a moment, the other car may seem to vanish.
That is the problem drivers are trying to address when they adjust their mirrors to reduce blind spots.
According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), positioning outside mirrors to provide a wider view of the roadway can help minimize blind spots. Its guidance describes an alternative adjustment method that directs the mirrors farther outward than the common setting.
The Alternative Method: Point Your Mirrors Outward
The technique is often associated with the Blindzone and Glare Elimination (BGE) method.
Its central idea is straightforward: instead of using the side mirrors primarily to see the sides of your own car, adjust them to cover more of the areas immediately beside it.
This may feel uncomfortable at first. Many drivers are accustomed to seeing at least a little of their vehicle in each mirror, and removing that familiar reference point can make the mirrors appear incorrectly positioned.
But mirror placement is not a matter of comfort alone. It is about how effectively your mirrors show surrounding traffic.
The NHTSA provides a practical way to set the mirrors using your head position as a reference.Step 1: Adjust Your Seat First
Before touching the mirrors, position your seat as you would for normal driving.
Make sure you can comfortably reach the pedals, maintain control of the steering wheel, and see the road clearly. Adjust your seat height and backrest as necessary.
This step matters because your position determines the angles at which you look through the mirrors.
If you adjust your mirrors and then move your seat significantly, the viewing angles will change too.
Step 2: Set the Interior Rearview Mirror
Adjust the mirror in the middle of the windshield so you can see as much of the rear window as possible.
You should be able to observe traffic behind you without leaning or stretching.
The interior mirror is responsible for the area directly behind your vehicle. The side mirrors should complement that view by covering areas farther to the left and right.
Step 3: Adjust the Driver’s-Side Mirror
Here is where the technique differs from what many drivers were taught.
While parked safely, lean your head toward the driver’s-side window until it is close to or touching the glass.
From this position, adjust the left side mirror outward until you can just see the side of your vehicle along the mirror’s inner edge.
Then return to your normal driving position.
You should now see much less of your car’s bodywork than before. Instead, the mirror should reveal more of the road beside you.
Step 4: Adjust the Passenger-Side Mirror
For the passenger-side mirror, lean your head toward the center of the vehicle, approximately above the center console.
Adjust the right mirror outward until you can just see the passenger side of your car.
Return to your normal driving position and check the result.
Again, you should see more of the area beside your vehicle and less of the bodywork itself.
These instructions follow the mirror-positioning method described by the NHTSA.
Why Seeing Less of Your Car Can Help
At first, the idea seems backward.
Why would you want to adjust a mirror so that your own car becomes harder to see? Isn’t seeing the side of your vehicle useful?
It certainly can be useful in certain situations, especially when parking. But while driving in traffic, the bigger priority is being able to observe vehicles, cyclists, and other road users around you.
Your car’s position does not change simply because it disappears from a mirror. What changes is how much of the surrounding road you can see.
When your mirrors are angled too far inward, you may use valuable mirror space to display an area already visible elsewhere. Angling them farther outward can redirect some of that space toward traffic approaching alongside you.
Ideally, a vehicle passing you should move from the interior rearview mirror into the side mirror and then into your peripheral vision as it draws alongside.
The transition should be easier to follow, with less risk of the vehicle disappearing between the views.
This is the main advantage of the technique: it aims to reduce the gaps between your mirrors’ fields of view rather than simply making the rear of your car easier to see.
It does not mean every blind spot disappears in every vehicle. Car design, mirror size, seating position, and the driver’s height all affect visibility.
How to Test Your New Mirror Settings
Once you have adjusted your mirrors, do not immediately assume that everything is perfect.
The best way to understand the difference is to check how the mirrors work together.
First, remain parked and confirm that the mirrors provide a useful view of the road behind and beside your vehicle. Make sure they are clean and that nothing obstructs your view.
When you are ready to drive, choose a familiar route with safe traffic conditions.
Observe a vehicle approaching from behind. Notice when it appears in the interior mirror, when it becomes visible in the side mirror, and when it enters your peripheral vision.
The goal is to make that transition easier to follow.
Do not attempt to test the mirrors by deliberately changing lanes near another vehicle or by taking your attention away from the road. You should observe normal traffic patterns while maintaining a safe following distance and concentrating on driving.
If the new setting feels unfamiliar, give yourself time to understand it before relying on it in demanding traffic.
The NHTSA notes that blind spots can still exist even with improved mirror positioning. Drivers should continue checking over their shoulders before changing lanes.
Does This Mean the Traditional Method Is Completely Wrong?
Not necessarily.
This is where the discussion becomes more interesting.
Some drivers are taught to keep a small portion of their vehicle visible in each side mirror. That approach offers a familiar reference point and can be helpful during parking and maneuvering.
Other approaches emphasize angling the mirrors farther outward to reduce overlapping views and improve coverage of adjacent lanes.
The most appropriate arrangement can depend on the vehicle, the driver’s needs, and the situation.
For example, a driver who frequently parks in tight spaces may value seeing the curb or the side of the car. Someone who regularly drives on multilane highways may place greater emphasis on monitoring adjacent traffic.
Some vehicles also have features that change the equation, including convex mirrors, blind-spot monitoring systems, and cameras.
The important lesson is not that every driver must use exactly the same mirror setting. It is that mirror positioning deserves more thought than simply tilting the glass until the view feels familiar.
If you decide to try the outward-facing method, check your vehicle’s owner’s manual and follow any manufacturer-specific guidance.
What About Parking?
One reason drivers hesitate to angle their mirrors outward is that they become less useful for judging the position of the car during parking.
That concern is understandable.
When reversing into a space or parking close to a curb, seeing the vehicle’s side or rear wheel can help you judge distances. Mirrors positioned for broader traffic coverage may not provide the same convenient view.
Some drivers choose to adjust their mirrors temporarily when parking. Others use parking sensors, cameras, or a brief change in head position to improve their view.
If your vehicle has power-folding or memory mirrors, you may have additional options for returning to a preferred setting.
Whatever approach you use, do not reverse based on a single mirror alone. Check your surroundings, use your windows and mirrors, and look directly when appropriate. Be particularly cautious around pedestrians, children, cyclists, and low objects that may be difficult to see.
The aim is to improve visibility without creating new risks.
The Most Important Rule: Mirrors Do Not Replace Shoulder Checks
Even perfectly positioned mirrors cannot guarantee that you will see every hazard.
A vehicle may be hidden by the shape of your car. A motorcycle may be difficult to notice. A cyclist could approach from an unexpected direction. A nearby vehicle may be obscured by another object or fall outside the mirror’s field of view.
That is why safe driving requires more than a clever adjustment.
Before changing lanes, check your interior mirror, check the appropriate side mirror, and make a brief shoulder check when it is safe to do so. Signal your intention, allow sufficient space, and make sure the maneuver can be completed safely.
Avoid staring at any mirror for too long. Your attention must remain focused on the road ahead and the traffic around you.
Blind-spot monitoring systems can provide an additional warning, but they should not be treated as a replacement for careful observation.
Think of your mirrors as parts of a larger safety system, not as a guarantee that nothing is hiding nearby.
A Small Adjustment That Could Change Your Driving Habits
It is surprising how many familiar driving habits are based on routines we rarely question.
We get into the car, buckle our seat belts, check the mirrors, and set off. After years of repetition, those actions become automatic.
But automatic does not always mean optimal.
Adjusting your side mirrors farther outward may give you a better view of adjacent lanes and reduce some of the blind spots created by overlapping mirror views. The technique takes only a few minutes to try while your vehicle is parked, although it may take time to become comfortable with the new perspective.
You do not need expensive equipment or complicated technology. You simply need to understand what each mirror is supposed to show you.
Start by setting your seat correctly, positioning your interior mirror, and adjusting your side mirrors using the outward-facing method. Then verify the view carefully and continue using shoulder checks whenever you change lanes.
Most importantly, do not make sudden adjustments while driving. Set everything up before moving and allow yourself time to become familiar with the result.
Final Thoughts: Have You Been Adjusting Your Mirrors Incorrectly?
The idea that you should see less of your own car in your side mirrors can sound strange, especially if you have been taught to keep the rear door or fender in view.
But the reasoning is simple: your mirrors should help you see the world around your vehicle, not waste too much of their limited viewing area showing something you already know is there.
The outward-facing method is one way to improve that coverage. It is not a substitute for careful driving, and it cannot guarantee the complete elimination of blind spots. Still, understanding the difference can help you make a more informed choice about your mirror settings.
So the next time you get into your car, take a moment before starting the engine.
Check your seat. Check your interior mirror. Take another look at those side mirrors.
You may discover that a small adjustment gives you a better view of the road than the setting you have trusted for years.
Have you always kept part of your car visible in your side mirrors, or have you tried the outward-facing method? The difference may surprise you—but whatever setting you choose, remember that careful observation and shoulder checks remain essential parts of safe driving.