Seat and mirrors — Kentucky Permit Test

A Kentucky driver should be seated upright with their back against the seat and feet on the floor, because slouching reduces the effectiveness of the vehicle's restraint system.

Belts and bags are designed around a person sitting properly. Slouched, they do not catch the body where they should.

Improper seating positions, such as slouching, can result in reduced effectiveness of the vehicle’s restraint system.

A Kentucky driver's foot should be able to pivot smoothly from brake to accelerator while the heel stays on the floor.

Lifting the whole leg to swap pedals costs time, and the heel on the floor is what makes the movement quick.

Your foot should be able to pivot smoothly from brake to accelerator while your heel is kept on the floor.

The top of the steering wheel should be no higher than the top of the driver's shoulders and below chin level.

A wheel set too high puts the driver's face where the air bag opens.

The top of the steering wheel should be no higher than the top of your shoulders and below chin level.

There should be 10 inches between a Kentucky driver's chest and the steering wheel.

The air bag needs that space to open. Closer than ten inches and it hits the driver instead of catching them.

There should be 10 inches between your chest and the steering wheel.

Head restraints are designed to prevent whiplash and should be adjusted so the restraint contacts the back of the head, not below the level of the ears.

Set too low, a head restraint becomes the thing the neck bends over in a rear-end crash.

Head restrains should be adjusted so the head restraint contacts the back of your head and not below the level of your ears.

The inside mirror is the primary mirror for the view to the rear, and should be adjusted to frame the rear window.

Framing the window uses all of the glass. A mirror aimed at the back seat wastes most of it.

Adjust your rearview mirror so that it frames the rear window.

To set the left side mirror, a Kentucky driver rests their head against the closed window and sets the mirror to barely show the rear edge of the vehicle.

Leaning first, then setting, is what pushes the mirror out past the blind spot.

To set the left side mirror, the driver must rest his or her head against the closed window and set the mirror to barely show the rear edge of the vehicle.

Mirrors set this way add 12 to 16 degrees of additional viewing area to each side of the vehicle.

That extra arc is exactly where the car about to be cut off is sitting.

however, this adjustment adds 12 to 16 degrees of additional viewing area to each side of the vehicle.

Why does Kentucky say to sit upright with your back against the seat?

Because slouching reduces how well the restraint system works. Belts and bags are designed around a person sitting properly. Slouched, they do not catch the body where they should. Kentucky Driver Manual, p.28: “Improper seating positions, such as slouching, can result in reduced effectiveness of the vehicle’s restraint system.”