Driver Ergonomics

Ergonomics is an important piece of workplace safety that is often ignored, even though it affects all of us. Workplace safety cultures do frequently train staff on office ergonomics, which can be leveraged at home, but unless you are employed as a driver, driving ergonomics is often a neglected subject at the workplace. This is despite the fact that, in 2023, over 69% of workers drive alone to work, with a mean one-way travel time of almost 27 minutes. With so many of us driving to and from work, it seems that most of the workforce could benefit from a little bit of driver ergonomics training.

Below, I’ve included a list of quick, actionable steps that can be easily implemented for your daily commute.

Start by putting your seat and steering wheel into the initial setup position:

1. Steering wheel in the fully up position, and fully forward (away from you)

2. Seat height at its lowest

3. Bottom cushion tilted forward, so the front edge is in the lowest position

4. Back rest about 30 degrees back/reclined from the vertical position

5. Lumbar adjustment back away (so it applies no pressure to your back)

6. Seat moved fully back

With you in the driver’s seat and steering wheel in the initial setup position, follow these steps in order:

1. Raise the seat as high as is comfortable to maximize your vision of the road

   1. Your head must have adequate clearance from the roof

2. Move the seat forward until you can easily fully depress the clutch pedal and accelerator pedal

   1. You should still have a slight bend in your knee when you fully depress the brake pedal

   2. Adjust seat height as necessary to allow good pedal control, without losing sight of the road

3. Adjust cushion tilt angle so your thighs are supported along the length of the cushion

   1. Avoid pressure behind your knees

4. Adjust the backrest so it provides continuous support along the length of the back and is in contact up to shoulder height

   1. Do not recline the seat too far as this may cause excessive forward bending of your head and neck and you might end up sliding forward in the seat, causing a loss of lower back support

5. Adjust lumbar support to give even pressure along the length of the backrest

   1. There should be no pressure points or gaps

6. Adjust the steering wheel rewards (toward you) and downwards for easy reach

   1. Check for clearance with thighs and knees when using pedals

   2. Ensure display panel is in full view

   3. A test for the correct distance is to put your arm out straight

      1. If your wrist can rest on top of the steering wheel, this should be a good distance

   4. You should also have at least 10 inches between you and the airbag to prevent injury in case it deploys

7. Adjust the head restraint to ensure the risk of injury is reduced in the event of a collision

   1. It should be about 2 inches from the back of your head

8. Adjust the rear view and side mirrors ensuring they can be used without excessive straining of the neck or upper body

   1. Side mirrors should have the side of your own vehicle just out of sight to minimize blind spots

9. If your seatbelt is adjustable, ensure it does not rub against your neck

   1. Adjust as necessary

10. Fine-tune as necessary

    1. When completed, your line of sight should be about 3 inches above the steering wheel

*Sources: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and UK National Highways (via Oregon State)