In a car accident, it’s common to sustain damage to your vehicle. Your car may get dented, scratched, or the fenders could be busted, or all the above. Broken windshields and sideview mirrors are other common forms of external damage after a crash.
If your sideview mirror was recently damaged in a collision, know that it happens all the time, but it’s not something you want to ignore. Even if your car is “drivable,” it’s not safe if one or both of your sideview mirrors are damaged.
Why Do Mirrors Matter?
Motor vehicles are standardly equipped with three mirrors. One sideview mirror located on the side of each front door and a rearview mirror, which is located at the top of the vehicle’s windshield. All three mirrors are critical because they help you see around your vehicle.
The sideview mirrors help you see what’s behind you on the side of your vehicle, and they let you see what’s in your blind spots. The rearview mirror allows you to see behind your car. If you drive an older car, your sideview mirrors may need to be adjusted manually, but today’s newer cars have controls for them inside the vehicle, usually on the driver’s side door. It’s very important that each time you drive, you make sure your mirrors are adjusted to fit your body.
The proper mirror adjustments vary widely between person-to-person because people’s heights and measurements are so drastically different. Essentially, your height and seat position will determine how all three mirrors should be adjusted.
South Carolina Law on Mirrors
Most states have laws on the books regarding car mirrors and South Carolina is no exception. Under Section 56-5-4990 of the South Carolina Code, it states: “Every motor vehicle which is so constructed or loaded as to obstruct the driver’s view to the rear thereof from the driver’s position shall be equipped with a mirror so located as to reflect to the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least two hundred feet to the rear of such vehicle.”
Injured in a car accident? Reach out to the Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC.