Mirrors
It is important that you check that all of your driving mirrors are correctly adjusted before you start to drive.
It may be necessary to adjust the outside mirrors before the seatbelt is fastened.
When checking that mirrors are adjusted correctly, you should sit in your normal driving position.
Mirrors should be adjusted so that maximum rear view can be obtained with little, or no, head movement. Do not to touch the mirror glass with your fingers when adjusting the mirrors.
Exterior mirrors
Exterior mirrors are often made from convex (curved) glass. These mirrors usually distort the image of following vehicles making them seem further away than they actually are.
Because of this you should never rely on outside mirrors alone; your picture of the road and traffic situation behind should be gained by using the interior and one or both of the exterior mirrors.
Note: You might have to re-adjust your mirrors after driving for a period of time or after taking a break - especially on long journeys. If you set your mirrors correctly for your morning journey to work you might have to re-adjust them before your evening journey home, even though you are the only driver of the vehicle. Always check your mirrors before every journey.
Training tip:
If you regularly spend time in the front passenger seat of a car, it's worth fitting an additional 'instructor's mirror' – this will help you to get used to using it, ready for the final part of your exam. Note that the car you use for your ADI practical tests will need to have a passenger mirror fitted - you can buy mirrors with suction cup fitting from car accessory shops. An alternative is to get an original car mirror from a scrap yard; these can be stuck to the windscreen with special adhesive pads (again available from car accessory shops).
Next: Step 7 - Checklist.