When is it necessary to adjust the mirrors in a commercial vehicle?

Adjusting the mirrors in a commercial vehicle before starting each drive is crucial for ensuring safety and optimal visibility. Properly adjusted mirrors provide the driver with a clear view of the surrounding environment, including blind spots, which is essential for making safe maneuvers. Mirrors that are not correctly positioned can lead to serious accidents, particularly when changing lanes or merging into traffic.

The practice of adjusting mirrors before every drive takes into account the variations that can occur between trips, such as changes in the driver’s position or even minor shifts in the vehicle's alignment. This routine adjustment helps to account for these factors, ensuring that the driver has the best possible vision of the roadway and other vehicles.

In contrast, adjusting mirrors only before the first trip of the day would not account for potential changes throughout the day. Additionally, adjusting them only when the load changes does not reflect the need for consistent visibility checks, as other factors can influence the driver's line of sight irrespective of load adjustments. Finally, making adjustments at the end of the day does not contribute to the driver's immediate safety during driving. Thus, the necessity of regular mirror adjustments is emphasized to maintain maximum safety and awareness while operating a commercial vehicle.