We all know that short is different than tall, but car manufacturers sometimes forget it when designing cars. Every aspect of a vehicle–from getting in, to seat adjustments and headroom–can make riding in a car uncomfortable for a tall person, and sometimes even dangerous. Insufficient legroom and low head rests could cause serious injuries in the event of a car accident.
If you’re a rideshare driver and want to make sure your tall customers are both safe and comfortable when riding in your vehicle, there is a variety of things you can do.
Pick a Tall-Friendly Car
If you notice you live in a city populated by tall folks, you might want to invest in a vehicle that offers an above-average amount of legroom and headroom.
Obviously, the first vehicles you’ll be drawn to are SUVs and minivans. But keep in mind that bigger vehicles aren’t specifically made for bigger people. Sometimes that extra space will go to a larger engine or to boasting cargo space. Instead of being drawn into the hulking hummers a dealer might want to offer you, look and ask for manufacturer specs. You should also consider bringing along a tall friend when looking to buy a car, so they can tell you what they think.
Spring for the Features
In addition to looking for a car with extra legroom and headroom, make sure your vehicle has power adjustable seats that slide. Taller people will lower their seat to get more headroom, but they’ll also need to slide seats back to avoid having their knees higher up than their hips. Seat height also affects where your seatbelt rest on your shoulder and chest.
Step-in height is also a feature you should be aware of. While a higher step-in height might cause some grief for shorter people, it’s much easier on tall passengers climbing in and out of your vehicle.
Things to Keep in your Car
As any successful rideshare driver will tell you, outside of having a clean car, it helps to have a few items in the car to improve your passengers’ experience. And while tall people aren’t an entirely different species than your other passengers, there are a few things you can do for them in particular to improve their experience that other drivers might not consider.
● Mount your GPS in the center of your dashboard.
In addition to mounting being a good practice to ensure you’re operating hands-free, positioning it in a highly visible place helps passengers feel comfortable that you know where you’re going and are following the directions well.
● Keep a charging block and charging cords mounted on the seat back.
It can be hard for taller passengers to reach around a vehicle, especially the floor of a car, to find things. By easily mounting device charging equipment with Velcro or any other material on the back of a seat, you keep items accessible for everyone.
● Pillows
If, for whatever reason, you have a passenger who is just simply too tall for your car, at least provide them with a clean pillow they can use to rest their head on the side. No matter the headroom of your vehicle, having a pillow to lean your head against will help make the ride much more comfortable.
