Survey of driver seating positions in relation to the steering wheel.

Author(s)
De Leonardis, D. Ferguson, S.A. & Pantula, J.F.
Year
Abstract

Research indicates the risk of serious injury from an inflating airbag for belted drivers is very low if there is a clearance of 10 inches or more between the centre of the steering wheel and the centre of driver's chests. The current study examines driver seating positions, in particular driver's proximity to steering wheels. This study estimates about 5 percent of the U.S. female population sits closer than 10 inches from the steering wheel. This percentage increases to 35 percent for female drivers shorter than 60.5 inches (the smallest 10 percent of the female population). Of the females sitting closer than 10 inches, 66 percent sit within 9-10 inches, and 17 percent sit within 8-9 inches. In a separate study, both female and male drivers sitting within 9-10 inches were able to increase this distance to 10 inches or more and still drive comfortably in a number of cars (representing various car sizes) by making a few minor seating adjustments. (Author/publisher)

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Publication

Library number
C 25204 [electronic version only] /84 /91 /
Source

Arlington, VA, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety IIHS, 1997, 15 p., 18 ref.

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