The Scientific Application of Optics and Accident Prevention to Mirror Vision for Commercial Drivers

To the average truck or bus driver the critical problem of the “blind spot” has existed ever since flat mirrors were first applied to vehicles. With large vehicles and the single plane mirror it is entirely possible for a car to be hidden under the driver’s lower line of vision. This problem of “blind spot” is compounded, depending on the size of the vehicle, driver’s eye level above the ground, and the distance and position of his eyes from the mirrors.

The mathematically designed mirrors discussed in this paper permit the driver to utilize the upper flat mirror for rearward vision; the reflected view of the blind area is in the bottom prepositioned mirror. It is believed that the next area of optics improvement will be with the noncommercial driver.