If you are going to tow a caravan it’s very likely that you need additional caravan towing mirrors. Also, with a caravan behind your car, you want to have a full view of the situation around you. But, which caravan mirror is suitable for your car, and is it in fact mandatory to use caravan towing mirrors?
Towing mirror law
A frequently asked question we receive is if caravan towing mirrors are mandatory. Caravan towing mirrors are not mandatory in all situations. There is a legal requirement for you to have mirrors that allow you to see an area specified as such: 4 metres wide from the side of your caravan at a distance 20 metres behind the driver. A caravan is significantly wider than a car - even larger than a 4x4 - and you simply can't comply with the law unless you use towing mirrors. With extra-wide caravans it may even be necessary to use mirrors with extended arms.
With caravan mirrors, it is mandatory to have both a left and right mirror. In the past only a left-wing mirror was sufficient. However, right-hand wing mirrors are mandatory nowadays if you cannot see the road surface at 20 meters behind you. This is always the case with a caravan or trailer.
The requirements for standard wing mirrors also apply to caravan towing mirrors. Just to be clear, they need to be adjustable, may not stick out too far and naturally, they need to stay in place under normal circumstances. The use of no or incorrect caravan mirrors can result in a heavy fine and dangerous situations.
Best caravan towing mirror
But what are the best caravan towing mirrors? Door or side panel-mounted towing mirrors or adhesive mirrors are mostly used. Both types of mirrors are very easy to assemble. The traditional bonnet mounted or side panel-mounted mirrors, and door-mounted towing mirrors are also still being used. We explain the difference between these towing mirror types here:
Side panel towing mirrors are mounted by the use of a tripod on the bonnet and under the mudguard. An advantage of this type of towing mirror is that you experience less trouble with vibrations because they are quite steady. Another advantage is that you do not have to turn your head to get a quick proper glance on what’s going on at your rear. However, a disadvantage is that they can leave scratches on your car paint while mounting. They are mounted directly onto the car varnish of your bonnet and side panels. Another disadvantage is that they cannot be adjusted from inside the car, so they need to be properly set before you take off.
Door mounted towing mirrors are basically the successor to the bonnet or side panel towing mirrors. This mirror is, as the name suggests, mounted onto the door and is based on the rubber of the window. An advantage of the door-mounted towing mirror is that it is adjustable straight from your car. You need to turn your head slightly, however, to be able to have a look in the mirrors.
Mirror mounted towing mirrors are the most commonly used caravan towing mirrors. You can easily mount this type of mirror on the car side mirror with some screw, clips, straps or other means of assembly type. An advantage of this type of mirror is that these too are easily adjustable from your car. You also do not have to worry about your car paint. However, a disadvantage is that these mirrors are somewhat less robust. As a consequence, they suffer more from vibrations from the road.
Mirror mounted towing mirrors can be mounted on your car by for example screws and clips, but also as adhesive mirrors. We dare to say that this type of towing mirror is most commonly used. There is basically one difference between the mirror mounted towing mirror and the adhesive towing mirror, and that is that the adhesive towing mirror is stuck on your car mirror by means of a suction cup instead of a couple of screws, straps or clips. A disadvantage of this type of towing mirror is that the suction cup sits on the mirror glass of your side mirror. This makes the side mirror of your car less usable.
Finally, before we forget. Towing mirrors, and more precise the shape of the mirror glass may be either flat or sphered. Sphered mirrors have the advantage that vibrations are less noticeable and that the field of vision is extended in comparison to flat towing mirrors. A disadvantage, however, is that it is more difficult to estimate the speed or distance of other road users than it is with flat towing mirrors. In combination with the flat side mirrors of your car, it´s unlikely that this will form any problems though. In the end, it is difficult to say which caravan mirror is best for you, considering that it depends on what you like best. We hope that you have a clear understanding of which types are available so that you can make an informed decision.
Buying caravan towing mirrors
Buying caravan towing mirrors is easy and quick at Winparts. We offer a wide range of towing mirrors with sphered or flat mirror glass. You can buy a caravan towing mirror for as little as £ 10.63. Of course, you will also find other spare car parts and products for your caravan such as caravan covers, coupling locks and electrics.