There are areas of the road behind the car and to the sides which are out of the driver's peripheral vision which require a clear and unobstructed view of the road behind in order to drive safely. The wing mirror is an exterior mirror which enables the driver to see these 'blind spots' enabling clear vision of any traffic nearby and any potential hazards. The wing mirror is an important visual aid and safety feature.

Wing mirrors can be either manual or electric and are usually mounted in the door pillar on the driver side and passenger side doors.Both manual and electric wing mirrors can be adjusted vertically, horizontally, and diagonally to the suit the height, line of sight, and seat position of the driver.

Electric and manual wing mirrors can be folded in close to the car to avoid damage when parked.
Broken, smashed and chipped mirrors will, of course, need replacing. Naturally over a period of general use, manual and electric wing mirrors will suffer from general wear and need replacing with one that is compatible with the model and make of your car.