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Seeing

Seeing is a required knowledge area under 49 CFR 383.111(a)(7) (visual search methods). One fact here is federally codified regardless of technique: 49 CFR 393.80 requires two rear-vision mirrors on most buses, trucks, and truck tractors, with a narrow exception for a truck built so the driver already has an interior rear view.

Practice Seeing

5 Questions

  1. Why do good drivers look 12 to 15 seconds down the road ahead, rather than focusing mainly on the vehicle directly in front of them?
  2. Why must a bus, truck, or truck tractor be equipped with two rear-vision mirrors, one on each side?
  3. Why should a driver check mirrors regularly throughout a trip, not only at the moment of a lane change or turn?
  4. Besides changing lanes, in which of these situations should a driver check mirrors more often than usual?
  5. What should a driver keep in mind when using a convex ("fisheye") mirror to check for traffic to the side or rear?