It’s important to adjust the seat so that you can easily reach the pedals of the car. Make sure your feet can reach the gas pedal, the brake pedal, and if you have one, the clutch pedal.
It is important for your safety to always drive with your seatbelt buckled.
To adjust the mirror simply move the body of the mirror to a different angle. The mirror should move easily, although not so easily that it falls out of place once you position it. Don’t adjust the mirror so that you can see out one side of the rear window more than another. This will only limit your overall vision of the road. If you are concerned about seeing one side of the car, you should use your side view mirrors for that. [6] X Research source
While driving, the vibration of the vehicle can cause the position of the rearview mirror to change. Pay attention to its position as you drive and adjust it as needed when stopped.
This will keep your understanding of the traffic conditions behind you up to date. It will also allow you to keep track of cars that are passing you, and even cars that are acting sporadically or dangerously behind you.
When changing lanes, you use a combination of your rearview mirror and your side mirror to see if where you are moving is clear, as well as turning around to see if there is anyone in your blind spot. The combination of all of these checks will make switching lanes safer. [9] X Research source
When moving in reverse, it is also important to rely on things other than the rear-view mirror. Check your side mirrors and turn around and look behind the car with your own eyes in order to assess the situation. After all, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
If you are looking in your rearview mirror at regular intervals already, you may already have a good idea if a vehicle is close behind you. This will help you to make a quick judgement about the following distance and if a vehicle will have time to stop before hitting you. Being good at judging the following distance of vehicles behind you should help you adjust your braking measures in order to prevent a rear-end collision from happening.
