Section 4 - Before You Drive

Question 1

Adjusting Seat and Mirrors

You should always adjust your seat and mirrors before you start to drive. It is important to do this so you can see clearly and have full control of the vehicle’s foot pedals and steering wheel with appropriate
space for airbag deployment.

Question 2

Adjusting Seat and Mirrors

• Head restraints are designed to prevent whiplash if you are hit from behind. Whiplash is neck pain
  that may occur when you are in a crash where force is applied to your neck that results in movement beyond
  the neck’s normal range of motion. To help prevent whiplash the head restraints should be adjusted so the head
  restraint contacts the back of your head and not below the level of your ears.

Question 3

Adjusting Seat and Mirrors

• Adjust your rearview mirror so that it frames the rear window. You should be able to see traffic
  flow to the rear of the vehicle with the rearview mirror.

Question 4

Adjusting Seat and Mirrors

• Your foot should be able to pivot smoothly from brake to accelerator while the heel is kept on the
  floor. If so equipped, the steering wheel/column may also be adjusted. The top of the steering wheel should
  be no higher than the top of your shoulders and below the chin level. There should be 10 inches between your
  body and the bottom of the steering wheel. Do not move the seat so far forward that you cannot easily steer and do not recline the seat so far back that you cannot reach the steering wheel or use your mirrors
  effectively. If necessary, use a seat cushion and/or pedal extensions to increase your view.

Question 5

Adjusting Seat and Mirrors

• If you have a day/night mirror, make sure it is set for the time of day you are driving.

Question 6

Adjusting Seat and Mirrors

• After the seat is properly adjusted and you are seated in an upright position, adjust the left side view mirror to see the left edge of the vehicle and adjust the right-side view mirror to see the right edge of the vehicle.
  (May be more appropriate for trucks, vans and SUV type vehicles when towing or
  backing in tight areas. Passenger vehicle side view mirrors are not designed for backing the vehicle).

Traditional Mirror Settings

Question 7

Adjusting Seat and Mirrors

After the seat is properly adjusted and you are seated in an upright position, adjust the left/right side view mirror by leaning your head to the left/right until it touches the driver side window/center of vehicle, about five inches so that the rear fender is just visible on the right/left edge of the mirror about a half inch up from the bottom. (You will not see the left and right sides of the vehicle when glancing at the outside
mirrors; however, this adjustment adds 12 to 16 degrees additional viewing area to each side of the
vehicle. This setting may not work on all vehicles and therefore the traditional mirror setting may be
appropriate).

Enhanced Mirror Settings