Before you drive your vehicle, you need to make sure that your seats and mirrors are positioned correctly. Then you can have the best comfort possible as you drive. If you fail to position yourself comfortably, then you’ll increase your chances of having an accident.
Here are some tips to help you position your car seat correctly so you won’t need a tow truck.
1) Position Your Feet
The heel of your right foot should be touching the floor. Make sure it is in the middle of the brake pedal and accelerator pedal. That way, your right foot can swivel from the brake to the accelerator and vice versa. You won’t even need to lift your foot to do this either.
As for the heel of your left foot, place it down on the footrest if it exists in your vehicle. Check the wall on the left side. There should be a footwell there. Keep your left heel in the well and never take it out if you’re driving an automatic vehicle. But if you’re driving a manual vehicle, then you can remove your left foot to operate the clutch.
2) Position Your Back and Legs
Bend your knees slightly into a comfortable position. They will help brace the rest of your body if you crash your vehicle or drive over bumps in the road. Don’t keep your legs straight because it’ll be more difficult for you to operate the controls that way.
Keep your backside entirely on the back of the seat. This will improve your posture and give your lower spine some more support. Do not hunch over.
Your foot should not be too far away from the brake and accelerator. Adjust the car seat forward or backward until your foot is at a comfortable distance from those pedals.
3) Steering Wheel
The latest vehicles have several different steering wheel adjustments. For airbags to be deployed safely, then these adjustments are crucial. You can adjust the steering wheels up or down and in or out.
Lower the steering wheel far enough to where it doesn’t block the instrumentation on the dashboard from your view. Your chest should be facing the steering wheel rather than your own face. The equivalent of an A4 page should be the distance from the middle of the steering wheel to your chest. If the steering wheel is too close, you could risk getting injured if you crash your car and the airbag deploys into you.
Slightly bend your arms as you hold the top of the steering wheel at the 10 o’clock and 4 o’clock position.
4) Seat Belt
Your seat belt cannot have any knots or twists in it while it is on you. Keep it flat and low across your shoulder and hips. Some vehicles let you adjust the height of the seat belt. If there is no seat belt adjuster, then adjust the seat accordingly to accommodate it.
5) Head Support
The head support on top of the seat is designed to give your head support in case of a crash. It’ll reduce the chance of whiplash and any other kind of neck injury. Place the round portion of the back of your skull against the middle of the headrest. Sit up straight, and it should feel comfortable.