Are You Too Short for Your Car? Most Autos Are Designed with the Tall in Mind

As a petite person myself, I’m here to tell you it’s hardly cute when you find that your feet will not reach the foot pedals. Braking is usually not optional and unless you’re on cruise control, you need to hit the accelerator from time to time. The problem is that most vehicles are designed more to accommodate the needs of those of medium height or taller than they are for those of us who are not.

It’s understandable why automobile manufacturers lean toward the taller car buyer, too. From a practical engineering standpoint, it’s easier to correct the problems from having too much room than it is to do something about an issue that arises from too little room. For example, the thinking is that the shorter driver can use cushions or other devices to try to get closer to the foot pedals, while a very tall person probably can’t just opt to stick his head out the window because it won’t clear the roof.

Yet the practical reality is that the methods most drivers use to compensate for their lack of stature aren’t always all that safe or that helpful. Cushions slip; they also require constant adjustment. While you can move the seat to get closer to the pedals, you can also end up knocking your knees on the underside of the steering wheel. You can also get leg cramps from some of the maneuvers, as well.

Some ingenious folks have tried to invent solutions, like rigging little devices to help them access the foot pedals. But not all of these are engineered well. For example, a mechanic once rigged a cheap little extension on my brake pedal for me so I could reach the pedal. The problem was that when the extension broke, a part got wedged temporarily under the accelerator pedal and it was murder trying to get the car to stop while the gas pedal was stuck at full bore.

Manufacturers and even some third-party companies offer authorized foot pedal extensions that can be installed to bring a pedal much more in reach for the shorter driver. But these devices are hardly cheap. One – when you may require at least three on a manual transmission car – can run as high as $150, and you also usually have to pay for the labor. On some models, these devices can be installed in minutes; others are trickier and could cost you up to an hour of mechanical labor or anywhere from $35-75 or more.

Yet just reaching the pedals is not the only problem. Air bags, for example, can pose a safety hazard to not just children but anyone under a certain height. A smaller person may be affected more by the explosive-style release of an air bag during a crash, and these injuries may be serious enough to rival some of those sustained where no air bag is present. This often makes shorter drivers worry about whether they should even own or ride in a car with air bags that can deploy, although removal of these air bags is often made difficult by safety regulations and cost.

See my other Associated Content articles to see what you can do about your car air bag if you have concerns.