Correct driving posture that drivers need to know

Below are some suggestions to help drivers adjust their seats and steering wheel to create a comfortable sitting position when driving.

1. Vision

Ideally, the driver's eyes should be looking straight out of the middle of the front windshield and about 5 - 6 cm above the dashboard. Check again to see clearly in the side mirrors and inside the car.

If not, adjust the mirrors. If they are lower, the driver's eyes cannot see the front of the car and control the nose area. But if they are higher, the driver tends to look at the near side and cannot anticipate the situations that are coming.

2. Sitting posture

In addition to mechanical adjustment, the electric driver's seat adjustment function is now commonly equipped on car models, making it easier to adjust the sitting position... When placing yourself in the driver's seat, you should push your entire body towards the back of the seat so that your buttocks and hips are close together, with no gap at the seat's folding angle. This sitting position will help you avoid back pain and maintain comfort throughout the driving process.

3. Adjust steering wheel height

The height of the steering wheel should be adjusted so that the angle of the hands is level with the body and at the same time does not block the view of the instrument cluster. The hands should be placed at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions and adjusted accordingly.

The ideal steering wheel distance is about 25-30 cm (10 inches) from the driver's shoulders. This is also the distance at which the driver's arms bend about 120 degrees.

4. Adjust the seat distance

Depress the brake and clutch pedals (if equipped) as far as possible and adjust the seat so that the knee bend angle is about 120 degrees, which is the most suitable. If the bend angle is greater, the legs tend to straighten and reach when pressing. In addition, the extended legs are also dangerous if they collide with other vehicles, leading to broken bones.

If the angle is less than 120 degrees, for example 100 degrees or 90 degrees, the foot is too bent, making the person close to the steering wheel, making it difficult to control. In addition, the close distance also causes the pedal to get stuck and cannot turn to either side.

The proper foot position is the left foot on the clutch or on the footrest on an automatic. The right heel is below the brake pedal, pressing straight down on the brake. When you need to accelerate, rotate the heel in a V shape, without lifting your foot all the way to the accelerator.

5. Adjust the seat height

The seat height should be adjusted so that the driver has a clear view of the road, a clear view of the instrument cluster, and the accelerator and brake pedals are within control. For people of average height on popular cars, the head should be about 5 fingers from the ceiling (hands held horizontally).

In case the height of the person or the vehicle is not at the average level, the seat should be adjusted so that the person's eyes are just above the middle of the windshield. Then check the dashboard and accelerator pedal for the most comfortable position.

6. Seat tilt

The seat tilt does not have a general formula for all cars but depends on the position, size of the steering wheel as well as the stature of the driver.

There is a way to adjust the seat angle to suit: the driver stretches both arms straight up on the top of the steering wheel, if the arms are parallel to the floor, the seat angle is suitable. However, this method only applies to personal vehicles, specialized vehicles such as trucks and buses with larger steering wheels must be adjusted on a case-by-case basis.

7. Adjust the headrest

The headrest should be adjusted so that the top edge is just above the driver's eyelids. The distance from the headrest to the back of the neck should not be too far, only about 2 - 3 cm. When driving, people tend to lean forward, so a short distance is safe and reduces neck strain.