An uplifting experience
I recently saw a vehicle pass me when I was driving through the city. I know that doesn’t seem unusual, but I actually never saw the driver. When I glanced to their vehicle, it appeared that no one was in the driver’s seat. The head restraint was the only thing I saw as they went by. This caught my attention and when we stopped beside one another at a red light, I noticed the driver was very short – vertically challenged so to speak. Isn’t there anything we can do to correct this problem while we drive? Is it really a problem while we drive?
When you sit too low in the vehicle it can hide information around your vehicle. It creates a larger blind area for you. A blind area is not a blind spot. It’s the area immediately on the ground around your vehicle. It can affect your stopping positions and when you make turns. It also makes the space behind the vehicle much larger than it needs to be. That makes it riskier for the driver each time they have to back up. What can you do to improve your visibility if you’re a shorter driver?
Most vehicles come with a height adjustment tool for the driver’s seat. It may be power assisted or human assisted. Raise your seat so your eyes are at least three fingers above the steering wheel. That would be roughly 2 inches or 5 centimetres. If you don’t have a vehicle that has those adjustment tools, you can always use a cushion or a folded up blanket to allow yourself improved visibility. No need to sit on a phone book though.
The driver of the vehicle in this photo is sitting a bit too low in his seat. As I watched him drive, he ended up leaning up and stretching to stop and make turns. He did it so often I knew it was an issue for him and his visibility, so I suggested he raise his seat up. He told me there wasn’t anything mechanical to raise it. I offered the solution of a small cushion to help him improve his visibility. He admitted to me that he never thought of that as a solution.
One of the participants during season 3 of Canada’s Worst Driver always carried a cushion with him so he could see over the dash. He was – and still is – short, so this helped him in some vehicles. When he got into my car with the adjustable driver’s seat, he was at a loss about his cushion. He didn’t need it but still wanted it. I think it may have turned into a security blanket for him as well. Regardless, he learned that it wasn’t always needed to help his vision, as long as the vehicle he’s driving has a height adjustment device.
Making sure you’re always in the correct seating position takes only a few seconds of thought. However, the advantages far out weight those few seconds. It can actually be quite uplifting.
I’m thankful I’m not as short to make driving a little harder for me, but I’m short enough to have to wiggle on my seat every once in a while just to leverage myself up a little bit. I do agree with your point though, because every after ‘wiggle’ I see a lot more than I would have if I didn’t re-adjust myself.
Thanks for your comment…and your honesty!
A seat height adjustment and sometimes even an adjustment of the steering height can help low drivers. However, using a cushion is not good advice. The cushion will reduce the effectiveness of the seatbelt dramatically! If a driver is really too short, special means and sometimes even booster seats should be used to provide them the necessary visual field.
A proper height is when the eyes are in line with the line of the upper third or half of the windshield. In most cars, this is achieved when the head is four or five fingers every from the ceiling.
I think we’re saying the same thing with regards to 3 fingers above the steering wheel or half way up the windshield. As far as a cushion goes, I disagree. It’s a cushion or a wedge. If it’s firm, it does the job. They are small enough to be placed upon the base of the seat and does not affect the seatbelt in any way. If the cushion is too big and wide, it can get in the way of course.
The driver’s comfort should be given attention to ensure that he would be having a good performance when driving to prevent accidents from occurring. For those who lack in height, it would be best to make the necessary adjustment so that they could have a better view of the road.
Height can be a problem when driving because of the difficulty of seeing what’s ahead clearly. Fortunately, there are adjustments that can be done in order for such drivers to feel more comfortable while driving. This ensures the safety of the passengers as well as other vehicle users on the road.
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