How to adjust your mirrors and check your blind spot

Start with your seat

Mirrors are set for one driving position, so adjust the seat first:

• You can see over the steering wheel and the hood, and see the ground about 4 m in front of the car.
• Your elbows are slightly bent when you hold the wheel, and your feet reach the pedals easily.
• The head restraint is centred behind your head.

Setting your mirrors

1. Inside mirror: centre it on the rear window, so you see straight back.
2. Left mirror: lean your head toward the driver’s window, then set the mirror so you can just see the back of your car.
3. Right mirror: lean toward the centre of the car, then set it the same way.
4. Check for overlap. The side mirrors shouldn’t repeat what the inside mirror already shows.

The wider mirror setting

Leaning toward the window as you set the mirror turns it further out than many people expect, and that’s the point. Safety agencies outside Ontario describe the same idea: the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests angling each side mirror about 15 degrees further out than the setting where you see your own car, and British Columbia’s driver guide teaches a similar wide setting.

The test is simple: a car passing you should appear in the side mirror before it leaves the inside mirror. Some drivers prefer seeing a sliver of their own car, which makes distances easier to judge. Either way, Ontario still expects you to shoulder check.

Where your blind spots are

In most cars, the blind spots are beside you and slightly behind, on both sides. On some cars they’re big enough to hide a whole vehicle, a cyclist or a pedestrian. Side mirrors only show a narrow strip of road, so turning your head is the only sure check.

When to shoulder check

• Changing lanes: check your mirrors, shoulder check toward the new lane (watch for cyclists), signal, check again, then steer over gradually without slowing down.
• Turning: before a right turn, check your right-rear blind spot for cyclists coming up in a bike lane, on the sidewalk or on a trail. Before a left turn, check your left side.
• Pulling away from the curb: check your mirrors and blind spot just before you move.
• Backing up or turning around: mirrors, then look over your shoulder.
• Merging onto a freeway: keep switching your eyes between the road ahead, your mirrors and your blind spot until there’s a gap.
• Opening your door: the Handbook recommends the “Dutch reach”: open your door with the hand furthest from it, which turns your body so you look back for cyclists. Opening a door into traffic costs $300 to $1,000.

How to shoulder check without drifting

Keep it quick: a short look over your shoulder, then eyes back to the front. Your hands should stay still on the wheel, because the Handbook expects you to steer straight while you check. Practise in an empty lot until the car stays in its lane while you look.

Between checks, look at your mirrors often. The Handbook suggests about every five seconds, and more often in heavy traffic.

Blind spots around trucks and buses

Large vehicles have big blind spots on both sides, and the driver can’t see directly behind them. Ontario’s rule of thumb: if you can’t see the driver’s face in their side mirror, they can’t see you. Don’t linger beside a truck, don’t follow closely behind one, and after passing, don’t cut back in until there’s plenty of room.

Blind-spot monitors and cameras

Blind-spot warnings and backup cameras help, but they don’t replace looking. Transport Canada notes they may not work in bad weather or poor visibility, and the Handbook reminds you that you stay responsible for every part of driving.

Why examiners watch your head

Examiners can’t see your eyes, but they can see your head turn. On the road test checklist, a lane change includes one more blind-spot check after you signal, and pulling away from the curb needs a check just before you move. The G2 road test guide covers the rest.