What mirrors do you need to tow a trailer?

Mirrors are an essential component in any vehicle to ensure greater safety and visibility while driving. When towing a trailer, the importance of mirrors is even greater, as visibility can be significantly limited depending on the trailer's dimensions.

There are many questions about what type of mirror should be installed when driving with a trailer. Therefore, in this post, we will tell you everything you need to know about mirrors for light and heavy trailers.

When to Install Mirrors for Trailers

Towing mirrors should always be installed when visibility is limited due to the dimensions of the load or if its width exceeds that of the towing vehicle. Even if these two criteria are not met, you can install them without any problem to drive with greater safety.

It is a safety element that will help you drive vehicles with trailers or large vehicles.

How to Know if I Should Install Towing Mirrors

To know if it is necessary to add additional mirrors to your car for towing a trailer, all you have to do is position yourself at the rear of your car with the trailer and load equipped and back away until you lose sight of the mirrors.

The distance you cover will represent the view you have with them. If you lose sight of them quickly, it will be necessary to incorporate towing mirrors.

What Types of Towing Mirrors Can You Add to Your Car

There are two types of towing mirrors that can be installed on a car. The choice of one model or another depends on the driver's personal taste and driving style. Adding these accessories to improve visibility is very simple, so you shouldn't have any issues installing them quickly whenever you need them.

The market offers a wide range of manufacturers for these trailer accessories. The main models of towing mirrors that can be installed on a vehicle are:

Concave Mirrors

They are named because the curve they form is inward. Because of this, concave mirrors show objects closer than they actually are.

Convex Mirrors

In convex mirrors, the curve is oriented outward. This creates the opposite effect, and objects appear farther away than they actually are. Therefore, extra caution is needed when performing maneuvers such as overtaking with the trailer.

How to Install a Trailer Mirror on Your Car

Towing mirrors should be placed on the car's rearview mirror. To do this, you just need to adjust the mounts that come with the mirror to your car's mirror and adjust the angle of the mirror for maximum visibility.

It is important to ensure that the towing mirror is properly installed. If it is not, it is very easy for it to fall off during maneuvers such as overtaking or while driving on the highway.

What is the Current Regulation Regarding Towing Mirrors

What towing mirrors are mandatory for driving? Knowing the current regulations is very important to choose the right towing mirror model. If the chosen mirrors do not comply with it, you are likely to be penalized and may not be able to drive with them. Certain safety elements are required to be maintained and used, such as the pins for trailers.

The main guidelines set by the regulations regarding towing mirrors are:

• All mirrors must have the E mark and be approved.
• Regarding distance, they must show 4 meters from any side of the trailer or 20 meters behind it.

We hope all this information is useful for you to know if you need to use towing mirrors on your car and which type suits you best.