§ 20-126. Mirrors. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 20‑126.  Mirrors.

(a)        No person shalldrive a motor vehicle on the streets or highways of this State unless equippedwith an inside rearview mirror of a type approved by the Commissioner, whichprovides the driver with a clear, undistorted, and reasonably unobstructed viewof the highway to the rear of such vehicle; provided, a vehicle so constructedor loaded as to make such inside rearview mirror ineffective may be operated ifequipped with a mirror of a type to be approved by the Commissioner located soas to reflect to the driver a view of the highway to the rear of such vehicle.A violation of this subsection shall not constitute negligence per se in civilactions. Farm tractors, self‑propelled implements of husbandry andconstruction equipment and all self‑propelled vehicles not subject toregistration under this Chapter are exempt from the provisions of this section.Provided that pickup trucks equipped with an outside rearview mirror approvedby the Commissioner shall be exempt from the inside rearview mirror provisionof this section. Any inside mirror installed in any motor vehicle by itsmanufacturer shall be deemed to comply with the provisions of this subsection.

(b)        It shall beunlawful for any person to operate upon the highways of this State any vehiclemanufactured, assembled or first sold on or after January 1, 1966 andregistered in this State unless such vehicle is equipped with at least oneoutside mirror mounted on the driver's side of the vehicle. Mirrors hereinrequired shall be of a type approved by the Commissioner.

(c)        No person shalloperate a motorcycle upon the streets or highways of this State unless suchmotorcycle is equipped with a rearview mirror so mounted as to provide theoperator with a clear, undistorted and unobstructed view of at least 200 feetto the rear of the motorcycle. No motorcycle shall be registered in this Stateafter January 1, 1968, unless such motorcycle is equipped with a rearviewmirror as described in this section. Violation of the provisions of this subsectionshall not be considered negligence per se or contributory negligence per se inany civil action. (1937,c. 407, s. 89; 1965, c. 368; 1967, c. 282, s. 1; c. 674, s. 2; c. 1139; 2002‑159,ss. 22(a), 22(b).)