Car Seat Position?

Question

What position do you have your driving seat in your car? Whats the best? As far back as possible or closer to the steering wheel? Interested to see what people think.

Answer 1

The best is so that:
You are comfortable
You can see out clearly
Your feet can fully depress the pedals with your knees still slightly bent
You can just touch the top of the steering wheel rim with your wrist without moving your shoulder forward.
Then adjust the head restraint so that the top of it is no lower than your eye-level, and preferably no higher than the top of your head.

If you sit too upright, you can suffer back pain as your weight is not being properly supported by the seat. If you sit leaning forward from the seat this is even worse for your back.
If you sit too far back you can't properly control the steering wheel in emergency situations, and in a crash the airbag may not properly protect you.
If you sit too close to the wheel the airbag could cause unnecessary injuries, and you can't properly control the wheel in emergencies as your body's closeness interferes with your arm movements.

Many (mostly young male) drivers think that sitting low and far back is sporty, because that's how racing drivers sit - but if you look more closely at racing/rally drivers you can see that they are actually quite close to the wheel, its just that the wheel is further back in the car.

Answer 2

Well, this is what I do. I don't know about you, so I can't say it will apply to you.

1) Set seatback to FULL UPRIGHT position. Put your foot at the spot where you are comfortable with both pedals.

2) Adjust seats forwards and back until your your knees are NOT scrunched under the wheel. Keep the pedal feet stationary as that's your measurement. I'm 5'10 and I usually have to push my seat all the way back AND raise the front of the seat (if that's adjustable). You want your thigh to be supported, AND the foot is at a comfortable angle to push on the pedals. Too high, and your thigh feels constricted. Too low and your thigh is tired from "hanging" in the air. You want your rear end in the right place first.

3) Put one of your wrists on TOP of the steering wheel and adjust the steering wheel tilt until you can see instrument panel clearly. The wheel center should be pointing at your sternum, NOT your throat or your face.

4) Keep your wrist on top of steering wheel. Straighten your arm. That's how far your back should reach. If your arm's bent, lean the seatback to the back a bit until your arm is straight. Some people may want to experiment with this a little as they find their arms don't quite have the strength to pull the wheel. In that case, sit a little closer by adjusting seatback.

5) Don't forget to adjust the headrest if you have it. You want to position the headrest so that if you lean your head back, you are still looking through the windsheild at the road, not up at the sky or at the car ceiling. That means your hand is hanging free and that is more fatiguing then leaning your head back against something.

6) Now adjust the mirrors and you're ready to go!

You don't want the extremes because both can be bad.

If you sit too far back, you may have problem perceiving something close to the front of the car. The central pillar (B-pillar) will also affect your peripheral vision. Not to mention your arms may have problem actually TURNING the wheel if something sudden comes up.

If you sit too close, you'll be uncomfortable, your arms and/or legs/thighs will be fatigued, and if the airbag deploys you'll get hit in the chest by it. It's NOT something you'd want to experience.

Answer 3

I lean the back kind of back and slide the seat as far away from the steering wheel so that I am not on top of it....in case the airbags go off.

Answer 4

Depends if I have an airbag in front of me I stay back as far as I can Without airbags I sit closer to the wheel. it is very individual , How well you can reach the pedals and steering wheel.is the biggest determinant.

Answer 5

Criteria are:

1] So you can depress the clutch pedal fully without stretching.

2] So you can rest your wrists on top of the wheel without stretching. Adjust wheel or backrest to achieve.

3] Height of seat and/or tilt of wheel so you can see instruments.

4] Headrest so its middle is level with your ears.

There you go. Sorted.

Answer 6

I like to be upright as possible for best view, I am 5ft 10 tall and if I put my slide my seat fully back I have to stretch a little for the gearstick, although the pedals are fine.
I drive a BMW 323i and like to be in complete control, and ready for instant reactions to any situation, slouched back and reclined is in my opinion not safe for any car, and certainly not for a powerful car.

Answer 7

It depends on your shape, of course, but ideally your elbows should be slightly bent when your hands are on the wheel. The backs of your knees should be supported by the seat squab. Get those two right and the rest should follow, unless you're really an odd shape.

Answer 8

your seat should be positioned so that the angle at your knees is approx. 120 degrees and at your elbows between 90 and 120 degrees.the back of the seat should not be more than 12 degrees from vertical or you will eventually get spondylitis in a spine that resembles capital C.

Answer 9

i like to sit bolt upright. i feel more in control when driving that way, when i recline the seat i dont feel like i have very good vision at junctions.

Answer 10

a comfortable position so that you can use and reach all controls easily