When you’re driving around town in your car or truck, you usually have three mirrors to help you see what’s behind you: a rearview mirror inside the car and two side-view mirrors on either side of the vehicle. Normally, that’s all you need. When you’re towing a trailer, though, everything changes.

Trailers are almost always wider than their towing vehicles, which means the trailer will block both side-view mirrors. Also, since the trailer is directly behind you, it will often completely block the rearview mirror. This leaves you totally blind behind you and on both sides all the way up to the front seat. It’s a dangerous situation — unless you get yourself a set of custom towing mirrors.

These specialized mirrors extend farther from the side of your vehicle to provide a view along the sides of the trailer and behind it. The mirrors need to be custom-fitted to your existing mirrors, meet legal standards, and easily attach to your vehicles. There are multiple options, variations, and factors to consider.

Be careful navigating the fast food drive through when towing mirrors are installed on your vehicle. They stick out farther than you’re used to and can be knocked off or cause damage to the restaurant or bank window.