What’s the Ideal Type of Towing Mirror?

If you’re planning on caravaning across the Australian wilderness, then you have to consider a number of things in order to fully comply with all the necessary safety and legal requirements of towing a caravan. These include maximum tower weight, lighting and driver visibility, license requirements, width and length, etc. All of these things can be the difference between making it safely and effortlessly to your destination, and your trip being completely ruined.

One of the first things you need to do (besides getting a caravan) is getting a towing mirror in order to abide to Australian ADR laws and to ensure safety. The law states that you must have an adequate and clear view of the road along the sides of your caravan, as well as behind it. Some people think that slightly adjusting their vehicle’s mirrors is sufficient, but that cannot be further from the truth. Tow mirrors are specialized caravan RV accessories that significantly increase your safety, by simply providing you with enough vision to safely and accurately maneuver a vehicle of this size, especially at camping sites, small side streets, and one-lane roads.

Typically, caravans and RVs do come with side mirrors, but they usually aren’t sufficient to provide enough information, and adjusting them is not only tricky, but it could also be the cause for you getting a fine. Some people argue that rear view cameras do a good job at giving you proper vision, but they’re quite limited in my opinion, and they don’t show the full picture of what’s happening around you.

There are various different types of tow mirrors available depending on how they fit. They can be removable, permanent, with inbuilt heating and indicators, flat glass, and convex. There’s no universally ideal towing mirror, so you’ll have to look at the various options at a good caravan RV accessories store and pick the one that fits your needs best.

Some manufacturers create model-specific mirrors in order to ensure a perfect fit and ideal visibility. However, not all towing mirrors are model-specific, and those that are – are usually pricier. Regardless of what type of mirror you choose, you should be able to clearly see 4 metres on both sides of the caravan, and 20 metres behind it. Custom made mirrors can either be clamp, strap-fitting, suction or permanent.

Permanent mirrors oftentimes have extra features, like heated panes and indicator lights, but they are usually more expensive, and they’re the ideal solution if you caravan frequently. Removable mirrors on the other hand, are typically strapped or buckled around your existing mirrors. They can be tricky to put and remove frequently, depending on whether they’re clamp or suction.