Objects in mirror are closer than they appear
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
Side-view mirror with legend
Wing mirror on Korean-specification vehicle. Legend in Korean reads "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear".
Main article: Wing mirror
The phrase "objects in (the) mirror are closer than they appear" is a safety warning that is required[1] to be engraved on passenger side mirrors of motor vehicles in the USA, Canada, Nepal, India and Saudi Arabia. It is present because while these mirrors' convexity gives them a useful field of view, it also makes objects appear smaller. Since smaller-appearing objects seem farther away than they actually are, a driver might make a maneuver such as a lane change assuming an adjacent vehicle is a safe distance behind, when in fact it is quite a bit closer.[2] The warning serves as a reminder to the driver of this potential problem.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Objects_in_mirror_are_closer_than_they_appear