How often should you check your mirrors while driving?

Checking your mirrors frequently while driving is essential for maintaining awareness of your surroundings and ensuring safety on the road. Regular mirror checks help you monitor the positions and movements of other vehicles around you, allowing you to anticipate and respond to potential hazards. This practice is particularly important before changing lanes or merging because it allows you to assess whether it is safe to do so by checking blind spots and ensuring there are no vehicles in your path.

While it's beneficial to check mirrors periodically, focusing solely on moments of lane changes or merges, or limiting the checks to every five minutes does not provide the necessary level of vigilance required for safe driving. Additionally, checking mirrors only when parked does not contribute to effective driving habits, as situational awareness is needed while actively driving on the road. Regular mirror checks cultivate better driving practices, which contributes to overall road safety.