Any driver worth their salt knows that spatial awareness keeps you on the road. When you know where something is, you’ve usually got the best chance of avoiding it. However, there remains a perennial grey area even for the most attentive of drivers; it’s the singularity within the event horizon – the blind spot.
Modern cars are now often fitted with blind spot detectors in order to alert the driver of when danger is present – small lights in the wing mirror that illuminate when something arrives too close – but if your car does not feature such technology, blind spot mirrors are an effective and affordable solution. By opening up the road can alleviate some of the pressures of driving by allowing the driver to forecast a potential danger and act ahead of time to avoid it.
How do they work?
Blind spot mirrors are usually smaller auxiliary mirrors attached to the outside of the car. The mirror design is convex, so as to provide the widest field of vision and clearest understanding of a vehicle’s surroundings to the driver on the road. By virtue of some industrial-strength adhesive, they can be stuck to any position on the side mirror and left to do the job.
The location of the blind spot mirror is crucial though, as poor positioning can restrict the field of view and leave blind spots in place. To some, they may seem an unnecessary precaution, but for motorway or urban driving the improved cognisance of the driver provided by blind spot mirrors is invaluable.
Which should I buy?
On first impressions, most blind spot mirrors look alike and function in the same way, but there are some factors – size, positioning, adjustability, – to keep in mind when choosing a set for your car. Here is a list of Parkers’ top picks:
Beeway Blind Spot Mirrors
Price £3.99 | VIEW OFFER
The Beeway is an effective gadget to improve the safety of your driving at a very affordable price. With the additional option of adjusting your blind spot mirror along with a 30-degree sway on the Beeway, application possibilities are extended – ideal for a car with intricate lines but a small wheelbase.
Complete with a scratch-proof surface, this particular mirror is frameless so as to avoid interference with the functionality of the main side mirror, and applying the Beeway to the side mirror is as easy as it is effective: simply peel back the 3M adhesive sticker of the base, attach the adjustable mirror and stick directly on.
Beskoo Blind Spot Mirrors
Price £3.99 | VIEW OFFER
At the same price and very close in design to the Beeway, the Beskoo is another rotating blind spot mirror fit for application onto the side mirror of your car. It features a wide, 50mm mirrored surface to effectively eliminate the blind spot of a smaller vehicle. Like Beeway, this product features two mirrors in a pack for £3.99.
Hypersonic Blind Spot Mirrors
Price £22.98 | VIEW OFFER
The Hypersonic wide angle blind spot mirror is designed for B pillar application and back seat utility. The primary function of this mirror is to avoid blind spots and improved safety for back seat passengers when exiting the rear of the car. The Hypersonic is attached to the outside of the B pillar, with a convex design allowing for unobstructed views of surrounding objects and nearby traffic.
Summit Blind Spot Mirrors
Price £6.50 | VIEW OFFER
The Summit from Halfords is simpler in design than the Beeway or the Beskoo. There is no option for angle adjustment as it sticks straight onto the side mirror, but with the same diameter as the aforementioned mirrors.
It is a more expensive product at around £7, and worth noting the Summit offers only one mirror per package, meaning a set of two will need to be bought separately.
Linkstyle Blind Spot Mirrors
Price £14.99 | VIEW OFFER
Unlike the other mirrors from this pick, the Linkstyle blind spot mirror sits on top of the side mirrors rather than within them. This allows for a larger frame and wider angle to increase the field of view – perfect for a longer, wider vehicle.
Like the other products, the Linkstyle uses peel-back adhesive stickers to apply onto the wing mirror of the car, though in this position the mirror is at a greater risk of falling off.
How to apply your blind spot mirror
When attaching a blind spot mirror to your vehicle, it’s important to bear a few things in mind. The job is simple enough – largely just a peel back and stick down operation – but there are a few steps that should be taken in order to achieve the best results.
- Think carefully about where your mirrors should be positioned. If attachable within the face of the side mirror itself, you will have some options on specific location. Take your time in finding the position that grants the clearest, widest field of view of your blind spot to fully utilise your mirrors and achieve the highest degree of safety. Check twice, stick once.
- Ensure the body to which you wish to stick your mirrors is clean, dry and dust free. A cleaner surface will allow for better performance from the adhesive on the mirror, minimising the risk of it falling off.
- Like the Beskoo and the Beeway, if your mirror operates on a mount to allow for adjustable swaying, you will need to set it up slightly differently. The bracket will hold the adhesive; simply peel the adhesive on the bracket back and stick. Then, apply the mirror straight onto the bracket and position accordingly.
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