Library

Regulation

New York Cross-View Mirror Law

On July 18, 2011, in an effort to improve vehicle safety, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law that requires convex, or “cross view” mirrors, to be placed on the front of trucks driven in large New York cities. This law was written and signed in reaction to several young children who were killed crossing the street directly in front of large trucks. Velvac has one of the most complete offerings of quality front crossover mirrors in the industry. When properly installed, these mirrors will help vehicle owners comply with this recent New York State law.

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Rearview Mirrors Standard FMVSS 571.111

This mirror regulation stipulates (1) requirements for the location and operation of rearview mirrors; (2) that vehicles with GVWR of 11,340 kg or more must have outside mirrors of unit magnification with 323 cm2 or more of reflective surface with an average reflectance of 35% or more; (3) mirrors must be mounted on both sides so the driver can see the truck along the inner sides of the driver and passenger-side mirrors and has a representative view of the rearward area in the rest of the mirror; and (4) that mirrors of "unit magnification” must provide a reflected view that is equivalent to that of the actual view at the same distance. These requirements are critical to maintaining accurate speed and distance judgments of images in mirrors, helping drivers to safely operate commercial vehicles, and of which Velvac vision systems are designed to exceed.

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SAE J985 Vision Factor Considerations in Rearview Mirror Design

The design and location of rear viewing mirrors or systems, and the presentation of the rear view to the driver can be best achieved if the designer and the engineer have adequate references available on the physiological functions of head and eye movements and on the perceptual capabilities of the human visual system. SAE J985 provides information and charts for this purpose, of which Velvac uses to help design intuitive vision systems to help make operating commercial vehicles safer. To read this standard, please visit the SAE website.

TMC Mirror Positioning and Aiming Guidelines

This recommended practice (RP) by the Technology Maintenance Council (TMC) provides mirror positioning and aiming guidelines. It states that (1) mirrors must be mounted so that the inner edge of the mirror is at least one inch outside of the widest part of the truck and trailer, and that the FOV of primary mirrors should in no way be obstructed by any part of the truck; (2) convex mirrors should be mounted and aimed to show traffic in adjacent lanes and view of trailer and wheels of trailer; (3) fender mirrors need to be mounted on the hood or fender of the cab in such a way that vibration of the mirrors is at a minimum; and (4) a typical trailer forms a 68° angle from the truck when making a 90° turn; therefore, the convex mirrors should be aimed so that no less than 70° can be seen outward from an imaginary line bisecting the cab of the truck. Velvac visions systems comply to these recommended practices to help ensure a safe driving environment in and around commercial vehicles. Visit TMC's website for more information related to this RP.