Other forms: rearview mirrors
The rectangular mirror at the top of a car's windshield is called a rearview mirror. When a driver pulls out of a parking spot, it's important to check the rearview mirror.
You can see what's behind your car when you look in the rearview mirror. A careful driver will also turn her head and look over her shoulder when backing up. In addition to the rearview mirror, cars have two side mirrors, and many new cars also have backing cameras that provide even better visibility to the driver. The earliest mounted rearview mirrors appeared around 1908 — before that, drivers were encouraged to carry hand mirrors.