Since we don’t have eyes in the back of our heads, we rely on scanning our vehicle’s mirrors to provide all-round awareness.

It’s a good idea to have a systematic approach to the use of mirrors: think of it as ‘mirrors-signal-manoeuvre’.

However, we frequently need to supplement our use of mirrors by turning our head in order to check ‘blind spots’ which even the best mirrors don’t always cover. Examples of this could be changing lanes on the highway or when moving away from the side of the road to join the traffic flow.

Scanning mirrors involves checking all three in sequence, starting with one exterior mirror, then the interior one, and finally finishing with the other side’s exterior mirror.

What do you prefer watching TV on: a small or large screen?

I would guess you probably prefer the larger screen because it shows you more, and the edges aren’t cut off. Agreed?

This is why the use of all our mirrors to complement one another is like the ‘big screen’ because better all-round vision enables us to respond consistently and effectively to driving hazards. It’s just as vital we know what’s happening behind as it is to the front and sides.

When we need to signal, ideally all three mirrors should be checked before we apply the indicator. So, if we intend to signal to the right we should consider using the right exterior mirror, then the interior, the left exterior, then finally the right exterior mirror again. However, an overall strategy should be the taking of ‘effective observations’.

The reason we finish where we started is because this is the direction we intend to go, so it will let us know if it’s actually safe to put on the indicator. In addition, before we make the manoeuvre we should consider delaying for a second or two in order to allow time for other road users to react to our signalled intention. (Remember, the term ‘road user’ includes pedestrians.)

On the other hand, if we’re turning or moving left, we would start the ‘effective observations’ with the left exterior mirror, the interior, the right exterior and back to the left exterior mirror before applying the indicator.

As we start our turn, another quick glance in the mirror on the side of the vehicle to which we are turning is reassuring. In fact, this is often called the ‘lifesaver’ check and can be especially important just before a turn to the left. This is so we can double-check if a driver behind has begun to overtake without realising we’re turning.

The ‘lifesaver’ might one day save the life of a two-wheeled road user, who are particularly vulnerable.

On a road with more than one lane in each direction, it’s a good idea when we’re changing lanes to get into the habit of enhancing the information provided by mirrors with a left-shoulder check. This ensures there’s nothing sitting in our blind spot which is moving at a similar speed to ourselves, thereby remaining momentarily undetected.

However, these shoulder checks should be no more than a glance, because our primary attention must be on the road ahead. If our eyes are allowed to dwell for too long on our mirrors, we’re likely to miss something important up ahead and thereby increase risk rather than decrease it.

At lower speeds the checking of blind spots is just as important because, arguably, the likelihood of vehicles overtaking us is greater; and we also have a duty to protect the most vulnerable: pedestrians.

Our vehicle’s mirrors are very important tools. We should use them conscientiously and frequently as an indispensable part of managing road risk. Think of it as: ‘Mirror scanning assists hazard planning’.

Safe driving!

(Jeremy Fox is a British driving and road safety expert. Since 2009, he has managed the driver-training operations of Technical & Administrative Training Institute. He considers it his privilege to have contributed to Oman’s improved road safety.)