Today's cars are very high tech and equipped with many more safety features than earlier years. But one piece of equipment that remains consistent over the years is the use of rear view mirrors.
Unlike some safety equipment which we don't see or don't use on a regular basis the rear mirror is very functional and allows us conveniently see out our back windows and the traffic behind us.
Don't confuse your rear mirror with you side view mirrors which are found on the outside of your car. The side mirrors are designed to give you a view down both sides of your car while the rear mirror gives you a view behind you.
When you have all three mirrors correctly set you will have no blind spots and traffic will smoothly flow from the rear of your vehicle to your side. In the past all vehicles had a rear mirror and a driver's side mirror but the passenger mirror was often optional. Today new cars are more likely to have both side mirrors and of course the rear mirror.
You recall the little warning that appears on these mirrors that reads "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear." You never see it on your rear mirror but did you know it also applies to that mirror?
Your rear mirror is usually attached to the windshield on a swivel that allows you to adjust the mirror for your personal viewing. Adjust the mirror when you a parked so that you have a clear view out your back window without seeing any of the back seat. There's no need to see what's going on there. Small back windows can have poor visibility.
Some modern rear view mirrors have video cameras built into them. This was implemented as a result of the huge rear desk that made it impossible to see behind. SUV's were especially bad with small children being killed because the driver could not see properly behind.
These video camera systems are mounted on the bumper providing the driver with much better visibility. Many of these vehicles are also equipped with warning backup beeper systems.
At night the rear view mirror can be blinding when the headlights of other vehicles reflect into the mirror. That's why most mirrors have some type of dimmer setup. Some are automatic while others are manually adjusted. The most common method of dimming is to adjust the mirror manually simply by tilting the mirror which reduces the glare.
The first rear view mirror appeared by in 1911 in Ray Harroun's race care in the Indianapolis 500. However it didn't make it to the streets for quite some time.
Today rear view mirrors continue to be an important part of the modern day automobile allowing us to safely view the traffic around us.