The first thing you should always do when you get into the driver’s seat of any car is make sure the vehicle is safe to drive. To do this you must perform something called the The cockpit drill. This involves ensuring you can reach all the controls comfortably, that you can see out of your mirrors, as well as  a number of other checks that can be usefully remembered with the acronym DSSSM

 

DSSSM

 

Doors

Although this seems obvious, you need to make sure all the doors are shut (including the boot) or they could open when you are driving. Most cars will have a light near the speedometer or generate a beeping sound while driving if a door is open.

 

Seat

Most cars have a lever under the driver’s seat which can be pulled up to slide it forwards and backwards. Make sure you can reach the steering wheel and the foot pedals without reaching. Your backrest should be upright in a comfortable position and the centre of the headrest should be level with the top of your ears. If you have a modern car, you may be able to adjust the height of the seat to give you a better view of the road ahead.

 

Steering Wheel

If you have an adjustable steering wheel, there will be a lever which will allow you to move the steering column up and down. Make sure you can see all the display dials and that the steering wheel is not too close to your legs. Also make sure it is locked in place before setting off.

 

Seat Belt

You should put your seatbelt on once you have adjusted your seat and steering wheel. As the driver, you are also required to make sure anyone under the age of 14 travelling in the car with you is wearing their seat belt. Although you are not responsible for people over this age by law, it is still a good idea to check that everyone is belted up before setting off.

 

Mirrors

Make sure to set your interior mirror and left and right door mirrors to an appropriate angle. The interior mirror can be set with your left hand to help you avoid touching the glass and should be set so that you can see as much of the car’s rear window as possible. The door mirrors should be set so that you can see the side of your car in only a small part of the mirror and about half road and half sky in the remainder of the mirror.