How often should you check your mirrors while driving?

Checking your mirrors every 5-8 seconds while driving is essential for maintaining awareness of your surroundings and ensuring safe driving conditions. This frequency allows you to monitor the position of other vehicles, identify potential hazards, and be aware of changing road conditions without being distracted from controlling your vehicle.

Doing so at this interval strikes a balance between keeping your focus on the road ahead and staying informed about surrounding traffic. It helps in making timely decisions, such as changing lanes, merging, or reacting to traffic conditions.

In contrast, checking your mirrors too frequently, such as every 2-3 seconds, may lead to excessive distraction and take attention away from what is directly in front of you. On the other hand, checking them less frequently, such as every 10-15 seconds or every 30 seconds, may not provide timely information about approaching vehicles or potential hazards, increasing the risk of accidents. Thus, the recommended interval of every 5-8 seconds ensures that a driver remains vigilant and adequately informed while driving.