Configuring your driver’s seat to provide the ideal combination of comfort and functionality is something that should not be left up to chance. We’ve outlined four useful principles to make sure that you’re always taking advantage of what your vehicle has to offer when it comes to the control of your car.

Leg Room

From airplanes to your desk at work, leg room is a reliable indicator of overall comfort, and your car is no exception. It’s important to slide your seat back far enough so that your legs aren’t bunched up or cramped, but your legs should remain slightly bent. If you extend your legs too far and lock your knees, you run the risk of reducing your circulation and becoming faint. You should also have enough flexibility in your seat to move your legs and pelvis in order to effortlessly switch between pedals, especially when driving a manual transmission.

Lumbar Support

It’s important to make sure that the lumbar region of your lower back is pressed firmly against the seat for maximum comfort. You’ll find that this can be especially useful during long drives, as your lumbar region experiences significant stress through routine actions like reaching for the steering wheel and changing gears.

This can be alleviated to an extent by sitting slightly closer to the steering wheel in order to reduce reaching. You should also avoid having any items in your back pockets so that your spine is not misaligned during travel.

Seat Height

The ability to adjust the actual height of your car seat is often overlooked, but it can dramatically improve both your comfort and your ability to drive safely. The driver’s seat should be high enough to view over the steering wheel and through the windshield, but not so high that your knees collide with the steering wheel or impede its motions during driving. Fine-tuning the height of your seat will also have an effect on the position of your feet above the pedals, so you may need to make additional adjustments to your leg room.

Seat Tilt

In addition to sliding back and forth and moving up and down, virtually all driver’s seats can be tilted for additional ergonomic comfort. The seat should be tilted back far enough to provide equal distribution of your weight across the seat, rather than creating pressure points by digging into your side or rear. Tilting the seat will also affect your view of the vehicle’s mirrors, so be sure to adjust them accordingly before hitting the road.

Modern enhancements such as backup cameras and blind spot monitoring software have taken a lot of the guesswork out of driving, but there’s no substitute for proper caution on the road. In order to drive cautiously and safely, you have to ensure that you’re comfortable in the driver’s seat and can utilize all of the vehicle’s features and mirrors. Keep these tips in mind to make sure you’re taking advantage of what your car has to offer.

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