While I was at the Lexus Family Safety Camp, the professional drivers gave us pointers to be better, safer drivers. Here are some tips on how to adjust your seating position as a driver.
Adjust your steering wheel so that it’s far enough away that your arms bend comfortably. Ladies, I know that some of you have problems reaching the pedals to drive, but you must have space between your chest and the steering wheel! That airbag will do some serious damage to the girls! And, while you’re adjusting the distance between you and the steering wheel, adjust the angle of the wheel so that it’s aimed at your chest, not your face. You want it aimed at your sturdy chest bones, not your fragile face. If it’s too much to change all at once, try changing just a bit every day or two—you won’t even notice after a week.
Your hand positions should be at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock or a little lower. If you’ll notice, manufacturers have changed the design of the steering wheel so the hand notches are lower; that’s not just for comfort. We used to be taught to hold the steering wheel at the 10 and 2 o’clock positions, but if you do that now and the airbag deploys, your hands will be forced back at your face. Ouch! Nothing like punching yourself in the face ;). So keep those hands low and safe.
Adjust your head restraint so that the tops of your ears are midway on the head restraint. If you have adjustable shoulder belts, adjust the height so that the shoulder belt falls midway between your neck and the edge of your shoulder. You may want it a smidge closer to your neck so that you don’t roll out of it in a crash, but don’t make it uncomfortable so that you push it out of position.
great tips!! I’ve always done the seatbelt one and the headrest one when I can (my van’s driver and passenger seat don’t have adjustable headrests… the tops of my ears are level with it.. I’m 5’7&1/2″)…. but in dh’s cobalt, in order to place the shoulderbelt guide the belt has to go through before buckling, which is part of the headrest, my headrest is forced to be that way… which I find more comfortable anyway)…. the one I didn’t know is the hands on the steering wheel. Thank you to Heather for going and Lexus for providing this great info to make even me a little safer on the road out there.
(and after seeing a horrible 3-car accident yesterday that I assisted people after, trust me, I’m all too well reminded that safety in the vehicle is all too important)
I literally cannot even graze the pedals of my truck if I am one click back so I touch the steering wheel lol, no airbags but Im sure its not very safe anyways.
Great tip about the hand position. I didn’t know that and always did 9 and 2. Oops!
Part of vehicle designing should include making seating positions work for more than just the average male crash dummy.
Thanks for the compliment, BookMama :). I see some women driving who have their arms bent so much that their elbows make a sharp V–they are just too close to the steering wheel. Part of vehicle shopping should include making sure *all* drivers can fit safely in the driver’s seat.
I had heard the 9 and 3 thing (was taught 10 and 2 by my dad) as well as to to keep your fingers outside rather than wrapping them around the wheel; last year some highway patrolmen at my SafeKids coordinator conference said the recommendation was now closer to 8 and 4 instead.
At a driving course I took when I was younger they told us to make sure you always have at least 10″ (about the long length of a notebook) between yourself and any airbag (driver or passenger). Fortunately although I am fairly short, I can still comfortably reach the pedals and steering wheel while maintaining that distance.
Thanks for the tip on the arm positioning! I never thought about that, though I *think* I mostly drive that way anyway.
Love the new haircut. 😉