Driveway Mirrors for Improved Visibility

Exiting from a driveway onto a road can be fraught with danger due to poor visibility. This issue is particularly acute in rural, countryside environments where the national speed limit applies on the roads and hedges often obscure visibility.

When assessing how to improve safety and blindspot visibility around driveways and site entrances the first thing to consider is whether the obstructions can be removed. Keeping vegetation cut back is always advisable and it may be the case that relocating boundary fences and trimming hedgerows may be the optimum solution.

But in situations where clearing vegetation and modifying driveway entrances still doesn’t provide adequate visibility to allow vehicles to exit onto the road safely then driveway safety mirrors are enormously beneficial.

What are Driveway Mirrors?

Driveway safety mirrors are used to improve visibility in and around driveways. They are most commonly used to provide drivers with a view of oncoming traffic to allow them to safely exit a driveway onto a road. But driveway safety mirrors are also commonly used to improve traffic visibility in other situations such as on industrial sites or commercial goods yards. Convex safety mirrors are most commonly used as they provide a wide angle, broad field of view which provides the driver with the most optimum outlook.

Benefits of Driveway Safety Mirrors

Here are some of the key benefits provided by driveway safety mirrors:

1. Drivers are able to see oncoming traffic before beginning to exit a driveway.
2. Oncoming traffic is made aware of a driveway entrance by the presence of a driveway safety mirror.
3. Locating driveway safety mirrors appropriately around an industrial site or commercial yard aids traffic and pedestrian safety.
4. Suitably located driveway safety mirrors can aid parking safety.
5. Driveway mirrors are, by design, robust enough for outdoor use.
6. Driveway safety mirrors provide a low cost way to greatly improve safety around driveways and on industrial and commercial sites.
7. Driveway safety mirrors are available in a wide range of designs and sizes making them suitable for a variety of installations and applications.
8. Driveway safety mirrors are also beneficial for pedestrians in many situations where they are used to provide improved traffic visibility.

Where to Place a Driveway Mirror

Considerately located driveway safety mirrors will greatly enhance traffic safety when exiting from driveways. But while it’s permissible to mount safety mirrors on your own property you should not place a driveway safety mirror in a roadside situation without having first verified that this is acceptable with your local authority. And you must never erect a mirror on somebody else’s property without first having gained their permission.

Convex driveway safety mirrors are generally most effectively located directly opposite the driveway entrance. But situations vary and sometimes, for example at a bend in the road, alternative locations are more beneficial.

To provide adequate visibility in two directions it’s generally best to consider using two convex driveway safety mirrors appropriately angled to provide the required field of view. It’s essential that drivers exiting the driveway can clearly see the reflected images so it’s important to mount the mirrors at an optimal height. It’s also important to ensure that the mirrors don’t obscure the view required by other road users and be sure to consider the possibility that sunlight might be reflected into the eyes of oncoming drivers and position mirrors appropriately.

Another important consideration regarding driveway safety mirror placement is viewing distance. The maximum viewing distance that’s often quoted for convex driveway safety mirrors is the maximum distance between the driver and the mirror. This is related to the size of the convex mirror. For example, a circular Vialux 400mm convex driveway mirror has a maximum viewing distance of 5 metres whereas the 600mm model has a viewing distance of 11 metres.

How Install a Driveway Mirror

Most driveway safety mirrors are installed by mounting them directly onto existing structures, such as walls or fence-posts, or by installing an appropriate supporting pole. Most models are supplied with suitable mounting brackets and it must always be ensured that the mirrors are firmly secured to withstand the rigours of our weather, especially high winds.

As previously mentioned, it is vital to ensure that the mirror installation doesn’t present any hazards to existing road users, including pedestrians. And mirrors must not be mounted in roadside locations without firstly confirming this is acceptable with the regional local authority and with the landowner on whose property the mirror will be erected.

Variety of Driveway Safety Mirrors

We offer an extensive selection of driveway safety mirrors which are widely used by local authorities, commercial organisations and businesses, farms and rural establishments, private home owners, hotels, tourist attractions, car parks and many more. 

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