Correct Seating Position When Driving A Car

The seating position of a driver when driving a car is very important. Amongst other things, “testers” do pay attention to the correct seating position of a student during a test.

A few marks are deducted from a student’s overall marks, which may or may not lead to his or her failing the entire test.

But if a student’s sitting position during the test is so bad or poor that it hampers his ability to drive, then the tester has little choice but to “Fail” the student completely.

A large, tall Malay student of mine, just back from England, actually did not know how to adjust the seat of a Datsun 120Y. Being a shy person, he did not seek the tester’s help to adjust the seat.

Finally, with his leg curled up and his “pot belly” almost touching the steering, this boy did his test. And it was no surprise, the boy failed his road test.

What actually is deemed as the expected sitting position of a driver?

Depending on a person’s height, adjust the “incline” to a position the driver feels most comfortable.

Remember though, at no time should a driver sit with his head resting on the seat of “headrest”. This is likened to a “sleeping position”.

In such a position, the driver or student cannot fully concentrate on his road driving.

Second, pertains to a student’s legs reaching to the pedals – the clutch, brakes and accelerator comfortably.

Pushing the seat too forward would result in your legs being curled up uncomfortably. In fact, in such a position, your knees would nearly hit the steering, if you’re a fairly tall person.

This manner of seating position would definitely lead to the tester failing you. Because in emergencies, you’ll land up breaking your “knee cap” when it hits the steering wheel.

When talking about seating positions while driving, students who are tall face few problems when compared to shorter candidates. With these candidates, their problem is they cannot reach the pedals even when the seat is pushed completely to the front. Their legs are too short.

How do these short persons resolve this problem?

They have to secure a “small pillow” to place it behind their backs during the practical exam. By doing this, their legs become slightly longer, and their problem is thus solved.

Having talked about tall and short students and the problems they face regarding their seating positions while driving, it’s only fair we mention other reasons why students fail to use the correct sitting position while they are driving.

You see, some students come to us driving instructors, knowing how to drive already. All students, according to the law, must at least learn a minimum of 8 times.

In reality, due to some “hanky-panky”, certain students land up learning 1 or 2 times only. And not learning how to sit correctly is amongst some of the cardinal mistakes they end up not learning.

After reading this short article on driving regarding students and they problems they face with pertaining to correct seating positions, especially during test situations, you would not realize how important this question is in securing you’re a “Pass” in the practical test you are facing.

As such, if you really are bent on securing yourselves a Class D license for cars, do brush up the correct way to sit while driving a car.