Drivers in the UK have been warned over three potentially dangerous mistakes to avoid making with their car mirrors. 

Knowing what's happening around a car is absolutely vital to drive a vehicle safely whether it's avoiding a hazard or you're about to make a manoeuvre. 

It's no surprise then that mirrors are checked as part of an annual MOT - and that they can be the reason for failing the inspection too.

The driver's view of the road is considered in the annual check which involves not only a mirror check but also an assessment of your windscreen and wipers.

To pass an MOT, one of the requirements is that the rearview and wing mirrors are secure.

The mirrors also need to provide adequate views of the rear and side of the vehicle.

Not only could faulty mirrors fail your MOT but they could be very dangerous on the road. 

“Unsecured, broken or improperly adjusted car mirrors can not only make it difficult for drivers to see their blind spots properly, but they can also lead to other dangers and MOT failure in some cases," according to Chris Jevons, Commercial Director at JTAPE.

"To make sure you avoid these mistakes when driving and do your bit to keep you and other drivers safe, here are some of the most common car mirror mishaps to watch out for".

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What to look for when checking your mirrors

Mirrors not being properly secured

You are responsible for making sure that your mirrors are properly secured especially if it took a knock recently or the glass has been recently replaced.

"If your car mirror becomes damaged, lost, or ineffective, these defects could land you with an MOT failure," according to Chris.

The expert recommends checking your mirrors every few months, especially if you think they might’ve been hit.

The expert also suggests strong mounting tape which can be used to help secure a loose mirror and keep it in place.

Improperly adjusted mirrors

When our mirrors aren't adjusted properly, our view whilst driving is affected.

Chris commented: "While this won’t necessarily mean that you’ll fail an MOT since adjustments are different for everybody, broken mechanisms for adjusting your mirrors could lead to a failure.

"If the mechanisms don’t work, this could mean that maximum visibility isn’t possible which can be dangerous when changing lanes, turning corners and looking for hazards".

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Broken mirror indicator lights

"If your car has mirror indicator lights, these must be functioning properly otherwise you could fail an MOT," the expert warns.

A malfunction that has caused the light to flash continuously or not flash at all could be seen as misleading other drivers who might be looking at the lights to know when you’re changing direction.

Chris added: "You can check whether yours are working properly by looking at the reflection of the indicator lights when parked.”