Automobiles for the Big and Tall
As a large person, driving can bring a great deal of difficulty. Not having enough head or leg room, being too large for a bucket seat, and seat belts not being long enough are all examples of what we face. These issues are similar even riding as a passenger. Cars are just not made for the big and tall.
When you consider that US federal guidelines require that a seat belt only has to restrain a person of 215 pounds or less and a prevailing mindset that smaller cars are better because they use less gas, it’s no wonder that cars for big and tall people are hard to find.
Automakers are missing an important demographic. With 2/3 of Americans overweight or obese, one would think that they would try to tap markets that are wide open…such as the big and tall market.
Features Big and Tall People Should Look For in a Vehicle
When shopping for a car, the two most important features are safety and comfort. Unfortunately, the choices are few if you are big or tall. But here are a few features you may want to consider:
- Seating – As most of us all well aware most vehicles today feature bucket seats, at least in the front of the vehicle. However, this can prove problematic for larger people. not being able to fit in the seat, center island consoles and even stick shifts can all be points of frustration. But not every car has bucket seats. Some still feature bench seats, the most popular being split bench seats. Split bench seats provide for the maximum comfort for larger people. They can still be adjusted to accommodate different positions for both driver and passenger and allow a larger person to still fit without discomfort.
- Tilt and Telescopic Steering – Big and tall people alike need to be able to adjust their bodies to fit behind the wheel. In the last few years, steering wheels have gotten bigger to accommodate the driver side airbags. So fitting under and behind them is getting harder. This makes the adjustability of the steering wheel critical for both comfort and safety. The telescopic feature is less common than tilt, which seems to be standard on most vehicles. With a telescopic steering column, the wheel moves towards or away from the driver to meet the driver’s specifications and then can be locked in to place. The tilt allows a driver to move the column and wheel up and down to allow for more leg and stomach room.
- Adjustable Foot Pedals – Leg room is a very important safety and comfort consideration. The ability to adjust the foot pedals in a vehicle can prevent tall people from banging their knees and allow heavier shorted people to still move the seat back allow for stomach room, but still be able to reach the pedals.
- Longer Seat Belts – As mentioned earlier, seat belts are designed to hold a person of up to 215 pounds. Therefore, most are not long enough to accommodate big people. In lieu of longer seat belts, a seat belt extender should be available.
- Island Consoles – Another frustration with finding the right fit in a vehicle comes in the form of center island consoles. These come in the form of level parking breaks, cup holders, stick shifts, all meant to break up the space between driver and passenger in the front of the vehicle. The best vehicles for big and tall people will not have this feature.
- Alternative Dashboard Controls – A popular feature in vehicles is the alternative dashboard control. These controls may contain buttons adjust the volume and power of the radio and air systems. These are redundant controls that are put towards the top of the dash by or on the steering wheel to allow you to minimize reaching and to permit you to keep your eyes focused on driving.
But if you can’t find a vehicle that has these features there are customization options. This would be in more popular terms a way for the big and tall to “pimp their ride” to make it more size friendly.