How often should you check your mirrors while driving?

Checking your mirrors frequently while driving is essential for maintaining awareness of your surroundings and monitoring the traffic around you. This practice allows you to detect any vehicles that may be approaching from behind or alongside, as well as assessing the general flow of traffic. Regular mirror checks enable you to make informed decisions about lane changes, merging, or any other maneuvers that require situational awareness.

In a dynamic driving environment, relying solely on occasional checks, such as only at stop signs or traffic lights, does not ensure adequate awareness of vehicles that could be approaching at any time. Similarly, limiting checks to every five minutes could lead to missed opportunities to safely navigate through changing traffic conditions. Finally, only checking mirrors before changing lanes is insufficient, as it does not account for other crucial factors that may arise while driving, such as sudden stops or changes in speed or direction from other vehicles. Therefore, frequently checking your mirrors is a fundamental defensive driving practice that enhances safety on the road.