7 tips to help you find a suitable and safe driving position
By: Auto For Trade
Tags: Cars, Used Cars For Sale, Automotive, Used Cars, Automobile

We have talked a lot in concept about safety at the wheel and the new safety regulations that will come into force until 2019, forcing all assemblers to incorporate at least two airbags and anti-lock brakes in their offers. The reality is that driver restraint and safety systems only take effect during an impact if the driver is seated correctly and many, unfortunately, do not know what this position is.

There are some simple parameters that will help you find the most comfortable driving position so that in an impact the safety systems can do their job properly and thus avoid injuries. If you need to buy used cars online then Auto for Trade is the best option to avoid the following issues.

Steering wheel

1. The steering wheel must always be within reach of the driver without his arms fully extended, that is, placing the hands in position 9 and 3, the elbows must have flexion of approximately 120 ° and the torso must be approximately 25 centimeters from the steering wheel. This is so because in an impact, the elbows act as natural shock absorbers to prevent injury to the arms and wrists. Another good formula to find the right position is by stretching the arm as far as possible and making sure that the wrist is above the top of the steering wheel and with this we will also make sure that the airbag points to the torso and not to the face, avoiding burn injuries if the latter is deployed.

2. There should also be a reasonable distance between the steering wheel and the torso, in cars equipped with frontal airbags, sitting too close to the steering wheel can cause the explosion of the airbag to hurt the driver instead of stopping him and keeping him safe.

Seat

All seats currently adjust at least in travel, we must place it in such a way that we can step on the brake or clutch fully without the leg being fully extended, the knee must have flexion of approximately 120 °. This is for the same reason that our elbows must be flexed, the knees act as shock absorbers and prevent sprains and strains in the ankles.

In those cars that can also adjust the seat height, we must ensure that there is at least one fist of the distance between our head and the roof so that in a rollover there is no risk of the head impacting the roof and causing damage to the neck.

Back

There is the fashion of driving with the backrest reclined because some find it more comfortable, however, this limits our visibility to the outside making it difficult for us to see small objects, children or animals, for example. Although it is not well known, the seat is part of the safety systems because it protects the back and if it is not straight it limits the protection it provides.

Headboard

In a rear-end collision, the head restraints prevent us from injuring our necks with the so-called ‘whiplash’ and are part of the car’s restraint systems. For the headboards to work as they should, we must place them so that the highest part of the headboard exceeds the middle of the head. This is also applicable for the passenger and rear passengers, in cars that have head restraints on the back seats.

Belt

Perhaps one of the most obvious recommendations, but we will mention it anyway. All cars today have a three-point front seatbelt and it should fit slightly above the hip and shoulder. For pregnant women, the belt should always be below the belly.