Towing Mirrors: Everything You Need To Know Right Now

Published on: 03 August 2022 Last Updated on: 19 February 2025

The final destination movie series taught us one thing and that is to steer very clear of big trucks. Can’t say we blame you when you see a trailer truck on the road and change lanes. After all, trailer trucks are very difficult to drive and very vulnerable to road accidents.

Most of the time, the trailer truck driver is unable to see obstacles or cars on the road due to the long length of the truck. This is one of the biggest reasons why there are so many truck accidents nowadays. The major reasons are improper cargo loading, drunk driving, mechanical issues, and visibility issues.

Here, we will talk about visibility issues and how it contributes to unfortunate trailer truck accidents.

What Role Does Improper Visibility Play In Trailer Truck Accidents?

When your trailer or towing truck has some additional weight or cargo loaded on the back, it becomes very difficult to have complete visibility of the traffic behind.

Moreover, standard mirrors do not have the ability to provide a full vision of the load on your truck and the traffic behind the load.

Hence, this blocked visibility is what causes numerous road accidents. Blind spots play a major role in road hazards especially when it comes to trailer trucks and towing. In fact, blind sports are the major reason why towing-related casualties occur. You need to have full and good peripheral vision.

However, this carelessness and disregard for safety and proper vision is the reason why truck road accidents have seen a hike of 52% since 2009. Out of this, 74% of these truck accidents involve big trucks such as trailer trucks.

But, how do we avoid this? We can’t decrease the length of the trailer truck and we certainly can not use the truck for loading cargo. Then, what is a viable solution?

The Solution; Towing Mirrors

What are towing mirrors? Towing mirrors are extendable and attachable rearview mirrors. These mirrors have many features, the most important one being the adjustable length and height of towing mirrors.

Towing mirrors are not just limited to towing truck use, they can be used for trucks with big trailer tails. So, if you want to avoid tow truck and trailer truck-related accidents, you must get towing mirrors for your truck.

Personally, we have seen many satisfied customers of Holden Colorado Towing Mirrors. If you wish to avoid accidents and mishaps, opt for Holden Colorado to get the best towing mirrors. Trust me, you will not be disappointed and you will definitely understand how important they are.

Towing mirrors are so important that in most states, the use of a towing mirror that provides a 200 feet view has become law. For example, in the United States, you are required by law to have a set of towing mirrors that allow a rearview of 200 feet.

This law was passed when trail trucks and tow trucks related accidents and casualties started seeing a spike. A twenty meters view is required from the driver’s position, as stated by the law.

What Are The Benefits Of Towing Mirrors?

Towing mirrors are the best solution for you if your trailer truck or tow truck does not have a good enough standard rearview mirror. And let’s be honest, most of the trucks do not have a satisfactory rearview vision. In shorter and easier-to-understand words, here are some major benefits of towing mirrors.

1. Extended visibility

The first and most important benefit of a towing mirror is the extended vision. When your vehicle has another vehicle or trailer hitched on the back, it will become very difficult to have proper vision. Towing mirrors provide a full and wide peripheral vision.

2. Safety

The normalization of towing mirrors in tow trucks is a major contributing factor to why towing-related accident rates have started going down.

With a wide visibility system installed in big trucks and tow trucks, blind spots are avoided and hence, ensure the safety of not just the driver but also the other drivers in the traffic. Towing mirrors ensures safe driving and there is nothing more important than the safety of human lives.

3. Automatic Heat function

In winters, fog assembles and collects on these extendable mirrors. This is very common in cool areas where there is a lot of snowfall as well.

It is not feasible or convenient to manually wipe rearview mirrors, let alone towing mirrors. This is because towing mirrors are extended to a height where you will have a lot of trouble extending your arm.

Lucky for us, most towing mirrors have an automatic heating function feature. This system clears up the fog gathered on the mirrors automatically. Worry less!

4. Adjustable

Another great feature of towing mirrors is that they are adjustable. Other than height control, towing mirrors have detaching features too. Most caravanners have this question, “do we have to remove the mirror once unhitched?”

The answer is yes. As regulated by law, no obstacle or object is allowed to protrude 150 mm from the sides of the vehicle. Hence, it is important that you detach your towing mirrors when not in use to avoid hefty fines. Luckily, towing mirrors are detachable and you can easily install and reinstall them.

5. Blind spot display system

The recent and newer models of towing mirrors have a camera under the towing mirror. This camera further enhances the vision of the road and the load attached to your vehicle and makes blind spots very visible to you, even at night. This is called the blind spot display system. The camera image is displayed on the screen of the center console.

6. Legal requirement

Lastly, as we have discussed before that many states have made it compulsory to have a towing mirror installed in your tow truck or trailer. If you are seen violating these laws, you will be fined heavily. Each mirror infringement gives you a £1,000 fine.

However, it is important to note that you are only legally restricted to use towing mirrors when there is a load hitched to your vehicle. If you keep towing mirrors on otherwise, you will be violating other traffic laws.

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There Is A Pothole Problem In America – How To Protect Your Car From Damage?

Drivers around the United States are complaining of potholes on the roads. In fact, there is a serious pothole problem in America. The AAA released their recent study report - which reveals that potholes cost the Americans drivers $3 billion a year. A pothole can damage your car other than making your ride bumpy. The suspension system of your car gets messed up when you drive over a pothole. On the other hand, potholes can bend the wheels of your car and puncture them in the process. Pothole-related repair costs can vary depending on the type of damage to your car. RepairPal is a good online tool to get an estimate on specific types of car repairs. Your location and other variables can affect the cost of repairs. In fact, the average repair cost will be around $300. You should contact a mobile mechanic Houston for assistance in this regard. $300 is a lot of money. For that amount of money, you can easily take your family to Disneyland. It is a pity that we have to deal with potholes on our road network since the government is responsible for providing its people with safe roads and bridges for travel. Potholes would make most of you mad. In fact, you should be writing to Congress and telling them to fund the road development projects in your area. There is at least one pothole in your daily commute. In fact, most people are complaining about it. Then there is another one and another one - which go on and on. These potholes are quite annoying and will damage your car upon impact. Public works associations have been repairing a lot of these potholes lately with the assistance of the public. Most potholes need urgent repairs today. You should pressurize the city councils to get the work done immediately. The city is not responsible for the damage caused to your car due to potholes on the roads - unless the work crews were negligent. Since the city doesn't insure the streets, they are not responsible for repairing damaged cars under the prevailing law. The American Automobile Association conducted a survey in 2016 and found out that potholes on the road networks have caused damages to the vehicles contributing to more than $3 billion per year for the last five years. Many public works associations have promised to repair potholes on roads within 48 hours of receiving a complaint from a resident. If you run into a pothole while driving, here are some tips to avoid them - courtesy of State Farm Insurance. Drive on familiar roads. In fact, you can easily avoid potholes when you drive on roads that are familiar to you. Make sure that you travel on roads that are well-lit. You will be able to see the surface of the road while driving in the night when the road is well-lit. Slow down and you can easily spot a pothole and avoid it while driving. Avoid tailgating. It is important that you give yourself time to be able to see the road conditions ahead when driving behind another vehicle. Brake before the impact. When you aggressively apply brakes, there is a greater load on the tires, wheels, and suspension system of the car. This can cause more damage to your car. That is why it is important that you brake at a distance before the impact. AAA provided the following tips: Check your tires for proper inflation at regular intervals. The tires are the main cushion between the wheels and suspension on your car and the pothole. Hence, it is important to check the inflation on a regular basis. Prevent swerving. Use your rear-view mirror before trying to avoid a pothole. It is important to prevent the risk of a collision. Listen for strange vibrations from the car. Pothole impacts can bend or break the suspension components in your car. It may also damage tires and wheels and dislodge wheel weights. Check the wheel alignment. A pothole can affect the steering of the car. It may knock the wheels of the car out of alignment in the process. How Do You Prevent Damages To The Car From Potholes? Driving is all about coping with potholes and traveling safely. In fact, damaged wheels and tires will leave motorists stranded at the side of the road - thereby leaving their wallets empty. The new Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles go through a stringent testing process in order to prevent damages caused by chuckholes. Ford uses several proving grounds in order to validate its vehicle designs such as Romeo, Mich., and Dearborn, Mich. These grounds are filled with different types of torture devices to test and improve the durability of the vehicle. The engineers at Ford design spare parts up-front to deal with these potholes. They balance these parts for numerous other custom driving conditions. The engineers will tune shock rebound rates in order to keep the wheel and tire suspended to glide over the pothole. This will prevent the tire from dropping into the pothole and impacting the edge of the tire and wheel. Ford Motor Company Offers Drivers Several Tips To Prevent Damage To The Vehicles From Potholes: Keep the tire pressure constant at the manufacturer's recommendation. This will help protect the wheels and tires from being damaged due to the impact of the pothole. Don't swerve to avoid a pothole. It creates a situation where the front wheel and tire hit the edge of the hole at an obtuse angle. This can do more harm than hitting the pothole squarely. If you are safe, don't brake as soon as you see a pothole. Instant braking will compress the car's front suspension and force the wheel and tire down the pothole without gliding over it. In fact, even if you drive very carefully, there is a chance of having a flat tire on the highway. Drive slow to the closest safe area out of traffic. Even though this can damage the flat tire - your safety is more important. If you suspect your car has been damaged or feel a sudden vibration, reduce your speed immediately. Drive slowly until you can safely pull off the road. Inspect your tires for damage. If the tire is flat, replace it with the spare wheel. If you can't find a cause, get your car towed to the nearest repair shop and have a mobile mechanic Houston inspect your car.

Washing Your Car: 7 Dos and Don’ts

There are many benefits to washing your car on your own. For one, it will save you money. For another, automatic car washes may actually cause some tiny damages to your car that you may not notice immediately; car wash employees may also not be as careful as you when washing your car. Washing your car on your own also allows you to give your vehicle a once-over that may reveal small problems, which you can then resolve ASAP. The problem with DIY car washing is that many people are used to some practices that may actually be damaging to your car. To help you become a car-washing pro, here are some do’s and don’ts that you have to keep in mind. Do A Pre-Wash Shower : This is an important step, since this dislodges stubborn dirt, mud, sand, and other debris, giving you an overall easier time washing. Loosening these particles will also prevent scratches on the paint job since you don’t have to “dig” before you can get them off. Do: Use the Right Soap : Dish detergents are formulated to strip grease from your plates and cookware. Laundry detergents are meant to loosen dirt and stains from fabrics. So why do some people think that it is okay to use these soaps on cars? The chemicals in these detergents are harsh enough to strip off the wax of your car and may even damage the paint. There are specially formulated car soaps/shampoos -- these are the ONLY things that you should use to lather up and wash your car. Do: Wipe with Microfiber Cloths : Sponges and other clothes are made of fabrics that may be too abrasive to your car’s paint. Make sure to use microfiber towels for your car for both soapings up and drying your car after a thorough rinse. Microfiber cloths are designed to lift dirt away from the surface, so they don’t scratch while you are scrubbing. They are also much more absorbent compared to other fabrics, so you will be able to dry your car much faster. Make sure to use separate cloths for washing and drying. Do: Dry Everything Completely : Make sure that you dry everything, down to the last nooks and crannies. These include door hinges and handles, windshield wipers, side mirrors, and the underside of the hood. Incomplete drying can cause condensation, rust, and gunk build-up, which can result in both superficial and mechanical damage to your car. You can use microfiber towels to dry many of these parts; for tight corners and spaces, there are squeeze blowers you can use to remove water. Don’t: Wash Under the Sun : Properly cleaning your car means keeping it wet throughout the process, drying it only when it has been rinsed completely. This won’t be possible if you wash your car under direct sunlight since it will heat up the metal and cause the water and soap to dry quickly and leave spots on the body, windshield, and windows. Wash your car in the shade or during the early evening to prevent this from happening. You should also wait for your car to cool down first before washing it. Don’t: Apply Products Directly : Don’t apply any kind of product directly onto your car. The rule is to always dilute first (if the instructions say so), then apply it onto a cloth, and only then should you're applying it on your car. Microfiber cloths are again ideal for this purpose. You should also use overlapping circular motions when applying wax or polish to make sure you cover every inch of the car. Don’t: Use Just One Bucket : Using just one bucket of water is like putting the dirt back on to your car, which ruins the purpose of cleaning it in the first place. Use two buckets: one for soapy water and the other for rinsing your washcloth before dipping it into the soapy water again. Following these tips will not only make washing your car a breeze, but you will also make sure that your car looks as good as new for as long as you can. Read Also : 5 Signs Your Car Needs A Tune-Up How To Choose The Best And Most Reliable Carpool Service

Seven Great Reasons to Use a Car Transportation Company

You buy a car to drive it and then someone tells you that rather than driving it to your new home, it should be transported. What sense does it make to spend money on getting someone to transport a vehicle when you can drive it to just about anywhere in the world? Seven Great Reasons to Use a Car Transportation Company: There are lots of reasons people use transportation companies for the logistic process of moving vehicles from one destination to another. Let's take a look at some of them. 1. Transport multiple vehicles: Most families these days have more than one vehicle. It can be much easier to get a transport company to move your vehicles rather than you trying to transport both to a new location, especially if it involves putting them on a boat to get to a different country or territory. If you have many cars, for example, you are a collector, getting your car transported by transport company will give you peace of mind and facilitate the process of moving everything you love to your new home. 2. Car transportation companies are quick: All you need to do in order to get your cars moved is to sort out pick up and drop off points, arrange dates, and you are ready to go. Most companies will give you a quote over the phone, and they will explain any import-export taxes that will be involved in the process. The companies will be able to move your vehicle fast as they will have opened routes and bookings on shipping companies, and therefore will have more access to availability than if you're doing it on your own. 3. Insured transportation: When you choose a logistics business to transport your cars you can be assured that there is insurance coverage contained within the price. The company will no what needs to be insured in order to ensure that you have full coverage from any eventuality along the way. 4. Less wear and tear: When you are driving your car over long distances, such as across Australia and to New Zealand, or from New Zealand is to the other side of Australia, you'll put a lot of miles on the clock. If you ship the car it will be sat in a closed trailer, or an open trailer, but it will be safe from weather, dust, and won't have all of the accumulated miles of traveling it over potentially thousands of miles. 5. It's really convenient: Car transportation companies can pick up a car from your home, and drop it to your new home at your target destination. You need to read some reviews and make sure that the company that you're choosing is fast, reliable and competent, but after that, you can pretty much leave it to them. It makes life easier. 6. Shipping through the year: Most transportation companies will work 365 days a year. They will be available to answer your questions and deal with any worries at any time. They also tend to have extended opening hours enabling you to talk to them outside office hours. This can make things even more convenient and can mean you can move whenever you want. 7. Transporting your car can actually be cheaper than driving it: The price of your car transport process will depend on the size and weight of the vehicle, and any specifics of pick up and drop off. With the cost of petrol factored into a long journey, you could actually save money by shipping your vehicle against driving it, putting it on a ferry and paying for that, paying any road tolls, and paying for overnight accommodation as you travel if you are having to take a break along the way. If you factor in the cost as a whole then you may be surprised that car transportation is the more stress-free and even cheaper option. Car transportation companies can make life easier. Just make sure that you choose a company that has experience along the route that you are moving so that you can be sure that they can take care of any import duties, can go through clearance at the destination, and that they have the insurance and experience to complete the job. Read More: Denise Hamet Discusses Trends In Creative Transportation Strategies The Latest Way Of Transportation: Electric Motor Scooters

Towing Mirrors: Everything You Need To Know Right Now

What Role Does Improper Visibility Play In Trailer Truck Accidents?

The Solution; Towing Mirrors