Reversing has always been a pain in the backside for many of us. Whether we’ve been driving for some time, or newbies behind the wheel, we’ve all had our fair share of challenges with backing up our vehicles.
Most of us have been involved in an incident (or two) related to backing up. While amusing to hear about, you certainly don’t want it happening to you. These accidents can range from hitting some cone or barrier out there, or worse, hitting a small animal that’s right behind your car!
Today, we’d like to discuss just how important visibility is when it comes to vehicles, particularly the rear of your vehicle, your mindfulness in driving, and how it affects everyone and your surroundings.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
Visibility - an ongoing problem with cars
Previously, we’ve discussed awareness of blind spots in vehicles when you’re behind the driver’s seat, and we’ve said before that the most massive blind spot in your car is the one directly behind it.
Starting from the trunk and “radiating” outwards is a blind spot that’s large enough to include small, concrete barriers that can do so much damage to your vehicle if you bump into it (and not even at high speeds!), children that can run into the car backing up, small animals, and sometimes, even other vehicles!
The rear blind spot is almost as big as the vehicle you’re driving, so it’s best to be extremely careful when backing up. But it’s hard to be careful about something that you’re not seeing - and we hear you on that. And we’ve got a solution ready for you in a bit.
What about rear view mirrors?
Rearview mirrors are extremely helpful, but only to an extent. If you need to look at the sides, you can use your side rearview mirrors to look at whoever’s coming to your left or right before making a turn.
Your rearview mirror is a good way to make sure whoever’s coming behind you, too; but the issue with it is that it only covers the upper half of your vehicle, and it doesn’t cover what’s immediately behind your trunk, moving outwards.
Try getting in the driver’s seat, and check these areas of visibility.
Perspective is also a big problem- most mirrors will tell you that - objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear. Depth perception is a big problem with mirrors, and with drivers behind the wheel managing their driving, they’d have to expend extra energy just to make out the distance of the objects coming towards them.
This is where reverse cameras come in handy.
How do reverse cameras help?
There are a couple of good reasons why reversing cameras help immensely when backing up and general road safety for larger vehicles:
Accurate depth perception. A camera feed from your reverse camera should provide better depth perception than a mirror. With a reverse camera’s feed, you can directly see how far moving objects are, provided that it’s set up properly, and has a good camera resolution.
It provides additional visibility where there was none. As mentioned, you’re not able to see the immediate area right in front of your trunk, and that blind spot radiates out to a distance that depends on how huge your vehicle is. Reverse cameras give you visibility in this area, whereas without one you’ll be backing up blind.
They’re not expensive, compared to the value they provide. Even if your car was insured (which it should be), some insurance claims regarding reversing-related accidents can still cost some money and a good amount of your time before your car gets repaired. Why not avoid this issue altogether with better visibility?
Where should I have it installed?
If you have a regular sedan or a 4x4 truck, a single reverse camera should be enough. For maximum visibility, you can install the camera right on top of your license plate.
This should provide you all the visibility you need when it comes to backing up, preventing you from hitting anything that’s situated right behind your vehicle. The feed can be wired directly to a car DVD player that you already have installed on your vehicle, but if you have a truck or a bigger vehicle, you can get a smaller monitor that usually comes in a bundle with some of our reversing cameras that you can get here from Elinz.
Bigger trucks that have 6 wheels or more should consider investing in at least 3 reverse cameras accommodating for three massive blind spots: both on each side of the vehicle radiating diagonally, and it’s immediate rear behind the cargo compartment.
Like we said earlier - the larger the vehicle, the bigger the blind spot; and for trucks, this is particularly true.
In closing
Like any vehicular gear, it’s important to note that reverse cameras should not be entirely relied on for road safety. They’re good tools to have to be a little bit safer out there on the road, but nothing beats driving defensively and mindfully.
Always keep an alert mind when you’re out there on the road, even in times like these where there’s less traffic - anything can happen, after all!
If you’re looking for quality reverse cameras that won’t break the bank, we have an impressive lineup of different reverse cameras that’s sure to fit your vehicle, whether you’re driving a regular car or you’re a trucker looking to make your trips a little bit safer.
Shop smartly from the safety of your home today with Elinz!
