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Ergonomic seating for driver

Driving is stressful and if there is no perfect seating position, the driving becomes more stressful resulting fatigue and back ache. Most car drivers complain that the few cars give good back support to posture. Many of us are compelled to ergonomics provided by the car manufacturer. But a badly designed seat could actually lead to hazardous health problem, while making you impatient while driving. But then wrong seating positions could also trigger problems.

Some of the common causes for irritation will be

Long drives
Keeping your head bend down or putting it forward,
Keeping your legs stretched for a long time,
Gripping the steering wheel hard or holding it in the same position for a long time,
As knee positions higher than hips it could trigger back problems, (especially in bucket seats), where the weight of the body rests completely on the spine.

Adjusting your lumbar to support your back is important. Hence it also cast a shadow on the safety of the driver while travelling in the car.

Some of the tips for safe and comfortable driving are:

Make sure that the headroom is spacious. Limited headroom can be dangerous in case of accidents, while giving you a claustrophobic feeling in normal times. For small cars, make sure that the gap is at least one and half time your palm width size.

Adjusting your seat height to a comfortable position is important. While adjusting the seat height make sure that your back gets proper support. For women drivers, it is best if a small pillow is placed behind the hips near the spine. This will give added support to back. Ensure that the visibility is not hampered and the corners of the bonnet are clearly visible. Fasten your seatbelt as soon as you are seated.

The headrests should be placed at the level of top of your head. Headrests are effective against dangerous backward movement of head at time of collision. Do not place them at the height of neck, it could prove dangerous in the long run.

The back of the seat should not be too inclined. It could result in imperfect position to handle the steering wheel. Make sure that your shoulder is not moved forward to hold the steering wheel. This could strain your shoulder and neck. Hold the steering wheel in such a way that your wrists rest on top of the steering wheel.

The navigation of the car depends on the steering wheel. Place one hand in constant position while you use the other to steer the car. With this you will be able to judge the turns exactly.

Before starting the travel, adjust the steering wheel to your position (this is provided in tilt/telescopic steering wheel). Make sure that the dials are clearly visible while your visibility of the road ahead is not obstructed. Ensure that the hands are bent while holding the sides of the steering wheel.

Keeping you legs in the correct position will make your ride comfortable. Ensure that the legs are slightly bent and comfortably placed on the brake pedal. Gently compress the brake pedal and move the seat backward or forward to achieve the correct seating position.

Make sure that your seating position is comfortable and will go a long way in ensuring that you enjoy every drive.