DR MARK PORTER’S TIPS FOR PEAK DRIVING FITNESS

Follow these eight simple principles, says Dr Mark Porter, and your skill and enjoyment of your car will benefit… SIT UPRIGHT AND CLOSE “Slip behind the wheel of anyone else’s car and the first thing you’re likely to do is adjust the seat and steering wheel. Cars have to be all things to all people, so driving positions are always a compromise, but here’s a tip that should help improve control and comfort: contrary to street lore, sitting low with straight arms and legs is anything but ideal. Race drivers know better so tend to sit higher and closer to the wheel than their road peers. The nearer you are to the wheel (within reason), the better control you have and the lower the load on your lumbar spine (extended arms are heavy). “I’m 6ft 2in tall and can’t remember the last time I had the seat in any car fully back or on the floor. If you’re shorter and set your seat like this, you’re likely to be doing it wrong.” KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED checks and get caught out by conditions like glaucoma that creep up on them. However, not wearing glasses or lenses when you need them is inexcusable and every bit as irresponsible as getting behind the wheel when drunk. “Call me selfish, but if I’m out in my 2CV and you’re coming the other way, with a closing speed of over 100mph and only a couple of feet between us, I want you to be able to see my tin can properly, so you can avoid hitting it.” WEAR SENSIBLE SHOES “Driving in flip-flops, broken Crocs or even bare feet is asking for trouble. Deft pedal operation for smooth, safe driving requires decent shoes, as does hitting the brake hard in an emergency. If you’re not wearing the right footwear and have an accident, you can be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention. Avoid your big sister’s Ugg boots or your novelty slippers unless you want to bring new meaning to the term ‘heel and toe’.” NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS “No one wants to share the road with a driver over the drink-drive limit, spaced out on cannabis or spice or manic and invincible after a line of Colombian marching powder. But what about someone who has had a pint of beer or a ‘harmless’ glass of rosé? “Alcohol has a profound effect on driving ability as blood levels rise, particularly on reaction time, and this slowing of responses is even more marked in women. However, while your reactions may be okay at lower, legal alcohol levels, studies show that your behaviour isn’t. Just one drink disinhibits you, as it hits the controlling frontal lobe of your brain that makes you the sensible, well-behaved person you are. Hazard recognition becomes impaired and you take increased risks, like a dubious overtake. The bottom line? The safest option when driving is not to drink at all.” “Rospa [the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents] estimates that driver fatigue is responsible for 20% of accidents on British roads, and up to a quarter of those involving a fatality or serious injury. Driving when you’re knowingly exhausted or even just a bit under par is risky, as your attention and reaction times drop. Bear in mind that fatigue can creep up on anyone if they drive long distances without a break (stop for 15 minutes every two hours, says the Highway Code). Some groups who are particularly vulnerable to fatigue include those who snore heavily (a possible sleep-apnoea syndrome associated with daytime drowsiness) and those on sedative medication, either prescribed or over the counter. Common examples