Maintenance & inspection
What is mirrors and field of vision?
Mirrors and field of vision cover everything that determines what a driver can see — mirrors, glass, cameras and detection systems — and whether blind spots around the vehicle are managed.
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<img src="https://fleetoptix.co.uk/glossary/mirror/diagram.svg" alt="mirrors and field of vision — diagram from FleetOptix" width="880" height="620" loading="lazy">
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<a href="https://fleetoptix.co.uk/glossary/mirror">What is mirrors and field of vision?</a> — diagram by
<a href="https://fleetoptix.co.uk">FleetOptix</a>
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</figure>Direct vision has become a regulated question in some urban areas, with schemes rating vehicles on how much a driver can see without mirrors and requiring safety equipment where the rating is low.
Cracked or damaged glass in the driver's field of view is an offence as well as a hazard, and the position of the damage matters more than its size.
Cameras and detection systems only help if they are working and the driver uses them, which makes them a check item rather than a fitted solution.
What goes wrong in practice
- Mirrors misaligned and left because they are still usable from habit.
- Camera systems failed with no indication anyone would notice.
- Urban scheme requirements assumed to be met without checking the rating.