Can You Drive Without A Side Mirror? Is It Legal?
Are you wondering whether driving without a side mirror is legal? Well, it depends on some factors if you can drive without a side mirror.
So, can you drive without a side mirror? Yes. You can drive in some states without a side mirror, such as Hawaii, Florida, Alabama, Indiana, etc. But a few other states prohibited driving cars without side mirrors. Each state has respective laws and rules regarding it.
In this article, I will answer if you can drive without a side mirror or not in detail. Also, you will find out the disadvantages of driving without a side mirror, which states allow side mirrors and which don’t. So, let’s start it right away!
Can You Drive Without A Side Mirror?
Well, few countries still allow you to drive with the help of a rear-view mirror even if you don’t have a side mirror. While in some countries, both side mirror is needed.
The table below shows some states that allows to drive with one side mirror and some states that need both side mirrors –
| State name | Mirror law | State name | Mirror law |
| Missouri | Need both side mirror | New Maxico | Need one side mirror or a rear-view mirror |
| Alabama | Need one side mirror or a rear-view mirror | North Dakota | Need one side mirror or a rear-view mirror |
| Florida | Need one side mirror or a rear-view mirror | Loisiana | Need both side mirror or a rear view mirror and one side mirror |
| Alaska | Need both side mirror or one rear view mirror and one side mirror | California | Need both side mirror or one rear view mirror and one side mirror |
| Kentucky | Need both side mirror or one rear view mirror and one side mirror | Indiana | Need one side mirror or a rear-view mirror |
| Nebraska | Need both side mirror | Montana | Need one side mirror or rear-view mirror |
| Colorado | Need one side mirror or a rear-view mirror | New Jersey | Need both side mirror |
| Kansas | Need both side mirror or one rear view mirror and one side mirror | Wisconsin | Need one side mirror or a rear-view mirror |
| Maryland | Need both side mirror or one rear view mirror and one side mirror | Tennessee | Need one side mirror or a rear-view mirror |
| Hawaii | Need one side mirror or a rear-view mirror | Arizona | Need both side mirror or one rear-view mirror and one side mirror |
So in the above table, I have described which states it is legal to drive with one mirror and which states need both side mirrors to drive legally.
You can see the mirror law of some more states in this link – https://www.reddit.com/r/Wrangler/comments/6aje4r/mirror_laws_for_all_50_states/
Why Driving With Side Mirrors Is Important?
Let’s try to understand why driving with a side mirror is essential and why some states strictly prohibited to drive without winged mirrors –
- Side mirrors let you see the vehicles behind your car. You can see both sides of your car without any effort
- Winged mirrors save you from bumping into another car unknowingly
- Driving with the three mirrors saves you from catastrophic disasters
- Sometimes rear-view mirrors are not able to give you a full view of the road because a big size vehicle covered it up. Hence the side mirror is the savior in that case
Disadvantages Of Driving Without Side Mirrors
Understanding the importance of having side mirrors clarifies what are the disadvantage of driving without side mirrors. Let’s know it through the below points –
- You have to turn your shoulder every time you want to check vehicles behind you
- You can’t see vehicles in the blind spots
- You can encounter accidents
- You will be charged a penalty in some states
- You can’t drive comfortably
What Are The Penalty For Driving Without Side Mirrors?
If you violate the mirror rules of your state, you will definitely be charged once caught. Here are penalties of some state, you may receive if you do not abide by the rules –
- In the state Delaware, you will be charged 10$-28$ If you do not have a driver-side mirror in the vehicle
- According to California law, you will be charged 25$ as a penalty if you violate mirror laws
- In Oregon, you could be charged around $115-$120
Apart from this, other states in US may charge you more than this.
While some car parts are legally required for safe driving, others are necessary for your vehicle to function properly. For example, your car’s serpentine belt and brake pads play crucial roles in keeping your vehicle running smoothly and stopping safely. If you’re curious about driving without these parts, you can read our articles on driving without a serpentine belt and driving without brake pads to learn about the potential risks and consequences. Stay informed so you can keep your car in top shape.
FAQs
Answering frequently asked questions solves significant doubts in the readers mind. So, I have answered some FAQs here. Check it out below –
Yes, but it depends. If you are missing only one side mirror, driving your car safely is still possible if you are a skilled driver. The rear view and one side mirror are enough for expert drivers to drive the car safely. But missing all three mirrors is undoubtedly risky.
It is illegal in some states to drive without a winged mirror. However, you can drive without a side mirror in states like Missouri, Florida, Indiana etc. But you will need a minimum of one mirror in your vehicle to drive the car legally.
Side mirrors help you in driving the vehicle without causing any accidents. When you need to turn lanes, you can comfortably watch the side mirror and see if there is any vehicle around you. So, you drive accordingly to it.
Conclusion
Driving without wing mirrors is undoubtedly unsafe and illegal in most states. The laws are different in each state. Some states allow you to drive without having one side mirror if you have two or three mirrors in your car.
While you will need both side mirrors in some states because they don’t allow driving with one side mirror on the road. So the answer to the question, can you drive without a side mirror, is clear now! You can look for the states and confirm whether they are legal based on your state.
