People love the flexibility and practicality of travelling in a recreational vehicle. However, while you have greater freedom to explore the roads less travelled, spend more time in nature, and can go at your own pace, it also means you will be spending a lot more time behind the driving wheel.
You may have not given it too much thought, but your driving position is quite important. Ensuring you are positioned well with good posture reduces fatigue and improves control and safety – things you need when embarking on journeys, no matter how big or small.
We recently spoke with Cameron Wearing, Director of the Australian Driving Institute, for some advice on how we should be positioned when behind the wheel.
Loss of control can be the result of many things, but driving position isn’t usually the first thing that comes to a person’s mind. “Drivers can lose control because of the way they are positioned” confirms Cameron.
“If you don’t set for control, you raise the chances of not being able to fully control an RV, particularly a car and caravan combination.”
Driving can be incredibly draining, especially after long hours, and unfortunately people are accustomed to positioning themselves for comfort over control.
It might be surprising for many, but when you’ve positioned yourself correctly, and adjusted the seat and steering wheel appropriately, you should find yourself in a comfortable position.
However more importantly, “good positioning will raise your chances of maintaining control” says Cameron.
“A well-positioned seat will also allow you to reach every dial or control without moving from your seat “.
Here are some top tips to make sure you stay comfortable and in control!
Seat
To find the perfect seat position, put your seat all the way back and down. Bring your seat forward and up (this will depend on your comfort for height) until your left leg is positioned comfortably against the foot brace (footrest). Ideally, your left foot should comfortably rest there.
Steering Wheel
Start by ensuring your steering wheel is in its ‘0’ position (up and in). Take your right hand and try to grab the wheel at 12 o’clock. If your shoulder blade moves off the seat, the wheel is too far away.
It is best to ensure your shoulder blades never leave the seat, even when you are reaching to dials and controls
Find a balance of your back rest and steering wheel. Your back rest should not be reclined any more than 110 degrees.
Bring your steering wheel out as far as practical (your hands when place at 9 and 3 o’clock will be bent, and anything up to 90 degrees is okay.
The steering wheel should be lowered so the inside diameter of the wheel just covers the dials. With your hands at 9 and 3 o’clock, you will be achieving a few things:
- Your digits can reach the stalks (indicators/wipers) without removing your hands from the wheel.
- Your hands will be in line with your body mass (centre of gravity)
- Your hands will be in line with your heart which is great for managing fatigue
- Your hands will be at the perfect position for balance and stability.
Before you get behind the wheel next time, consider some of the advice here and see whether you can make some changes to improve control and comfort.
Are your dials comfortably within reach? Is your seat reclined no more than 110 degrees? Does your left leg sit comfortably against the foot brace? You might find yourself repositioning a few things, and it will definitely be worth it.
One last thing to note! While good positioning will assist in managing fatigue, we strongly encourage you to stop every two hours. This will also give you a well-deserved break from driving and you may even find it helps to prevent you from positioning yourself purely for comfort over control.
