THE COCKPIT DRILL
The cockpit drill is a routine that you will carry out each time you get into the driving seat, which is necessary to ensuring that you can reach and use all the controls of your vehicle easily and comfortably, and that you have a clear view of the road ahead. As soon as you are seated in your vehicle, check that the vehicle is secure by ensuring that the handbrake is firmly applied as this will prevent the car from starting to roll unexpectedly. An easy way to remember the cockpit drill is by the acronym D-S-S-S-M
D – Doors
Check it is clear before you open the door of your vehicle and make sure the door is shut properly when you get in before starting a journey. Be careful on a windy day when opening your door as it can easily fly open with the force of the wind. Make sure that all the other doors of your vehicle, including all passenger doors, are also closed properly. If you are carrying young children, use the child locks on the rear doors. These allow the doors to be opened from the outside, but not from the inside.
To check that your doors are closed, simply pull them firmly shut and ensure that your passengers do the same. As a visual check you can look in your exterior mirrors and check that the ‘line’ of the car is smooth – for learner drivers, get your driving instructor to show you this.
S – Seat
Finding a comfortable driving position is vital to safe driving. When you are satisfied that all the doors are securely closed, adjust the driving seat. You should be able to press the pedal on the left (the clutch pedal) down to the floor with your left foot without stretching your leg. This means that when the clutch is pressed down fully, your knee should be slightly bent and the seat should support your thigh. At the same time you don’t want to sit too close to the steering wheel, which could be dangerous in a crash or adopt an awkward posture which could put a strain on your back. It’s also worth noting that a poor seating position will cause fatigue on longer journeys and in the longer term, can cause back problems for drivers who cover long distances. Being uncomfortable will also reduce your concentration – not a good idea if you want to be a safe driver.
S – Steering Wheel/Head Restraint
The backrest of your seat should be adjusted so that you can reach the steering wheel comfortably. To get a good steering wheel position, recline the seat back to the point where your shoulder and upper back are resting comfortably on the seat.
When your hands are positioned in the ten-to-two or quarter-to-three position on the steering wheel, your arms should be bent slightly.
Avoid sitting too upright as this can put a strain on your wrists and shoulders as you lean forward to grip the wheel, or reclining too far back, this means your neck muscles have to work harder to support your head.
If you are very close to the steering wheel you will not be able to control the steering effectively. Sitting too close to the steering wheel will also lead to discomfort and tension. When adjusting the back of your seat, make sure that the head restraint, which sometimes is called head rest, but not there to rest your head on, is adjusted correctly to protect against neck and spine injuries, commonly referred to as whiplash.
For maximum protection, make sure that your head restraint is correctly adjusted so that the rigid part or the supportive portion of the head restraint is at least as high as your eye level or top of your ears and as close to the back of the head as is comfortable; this will normally mean that the top of the head restraint is level with the top of your head.
S – Seatbelts
Seatbelts are provided in modern cars to help ensure the safety of the driver and passengers. Seatbelts are provided in both the front and the rear of all new vehicles. Seatbelts cannot guarantee your safety, only safe and defensive driving can do that. It should be emphasised that, the use of seatbelt will greatly reduce your risk of serious injury in a crash.
Wearing your seatbelt is a legal requirement and will protect you in an accident, and is therefore advisable that, during normal driving, drivers and their passengers should use their seatbelts, except those who have medical exemption certificate.
M – Mirrors
Finally, once in a comfortable driving position, adjust your interior mirror and your door mirrors to give you the best view to the rear and sides. You must ensure that your mirrors are correctly positioned before you start to drive. Your mirrors should be adjusted so that you can see what is happening behind at a glance, with minimal head movement.
When checking that mirrors are adjusted to give the best view behind, you should sit in your normal driving position with your seatbelt fastened. When adjusting your mirrors, do not touch the mirror glass with your fingers, as this can impair your view, especially when driving at night.
Exterior mirrors are often made from convex (curved) glass. Convex mirrors usually distort the image of following vehicles making them seem further away than they actually are. Because of this you should never rely on outside mirrors alone; your picture of the road and traffic situation behind should be gained by using the interior and one, or both, of the exterior mirrors.
Next week’s article, we shall be discussing the foot controls of a vehicle. We shall look at the position, function and use of the accelerator/gas pedal; the footbrake; and the clutch. For further explanations or clarification on the articles in the Essential Skills of Driving column, consult the author.
Stephen K. Dieseruvwe
Director General, Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA)
