There is a newish syndrome out there that comes from driving too much. No, it’s not road rage, although that might be considered a medical condition at some point too. It’s a repetitive driving injury. Just like getting carpal tunnel syndrome from typing too much on a computer, people who drive all the time can develop long-term muscle, joint and spinal injuries. Most of the injuries develop from people not adjusting their seat properly. Learn how to prevent a repetitive driving injury.

A study done by ebaymotors.co.uk found that drivers suffer from all sorts of injuries and do so after driving for only a short period of time. 81% of drivers suffer from foot cramps, 74% have back pain, another 74% have stiff neck problems, 74% get side aches, and 73% get headaches and eye strains. It takes 6.5% of drivers only 15 minutes for this injuries to flare up, while for 9% it’s around 30 minutes.

There are different driving positions that the study says contribute to backpain.

Drivers who lean forward and sit straight up with the arms and legs bent. While this is good for attentiveness, it is not good for your back. Relax your back and recline the seat slightly to correct his problem.

Another common mistake is trying to pay attention too many things on the road like your phone, your food, your makeup, or anything else that keeps you constantly moving around. It’s best to just relax and keep your eyes on the road. Sit a little back in your seat and keep both hands on the wheel as much as possible.

A lot of people sit too low in their seat, causing inattentiveness and arm and leg pain because their limbs can never relax. Try moving the seat up and up slightly to fix this problem. It’s good to find a balance between too close and too far, too reclined and not reclined enough.

Calgary Driving School, Derek Brown’s Driving Academy, can help you develop good driving habits through training.

Thanks for reading!

When buying your new car, is it better to go with an automatic or manual transmission vehicle? There are certainly benefits and costs to both. Let’s look at which car is right for you.

Repair Costs
Repair costs are usually lower in manuals because they require less maintenance and usually cost less to fix when they do need repairs. Automatic transmissions, however, are getting better all the time, so, perhaps in a while, there will be no difference.

Fuel Costs
Manuals are more fuel efficient, but newer automatic transmissions are within 1-2 mpg of manuals, so the difference isn’t worth much.

Get up and Go! (Power)
Manual vehicles will usually be your best bet if you want a fast and powerful vehicle. This is where manuals shine in comparison to automatics. Automatic transmissions do not have the same acceleration capabilities as manual.

Where do you live?
City driving in heavy traffic is when automatics shine. There is nothing worse than having to shift every little bit while stuck in a long traffic jam. If you live in a big city with clogged roads, an automatic is probably your best bet.

Conclusion
So the question comes down to each individual. If you’re a power-loving person living in rural Alberta, a manual is probably best. If you only use your car for transportation and live in Calgary, an automatic might better suit your needs. Calgary Driving School and Derek Brown’s Academy of Driving offer lessons in both.

Calgary, like most of North America, licenses are available at a young age, fundamentals are emphasized, and roads rules are clearly and extensively articulated and marked on the road. Calgary drivers schools teach both stick shift and automatic driving. Driving is seen as mostly a practical skill that anyone can attain.

In much of Europe however, the rules are more lax while the training is more extensive. There are also very few automatic cars to be found. They view driving more as an art form to be performed only by the more skilled.

Check out this video of the roundabout at the Arc du Triumph in Paris:

Do you prefer the North American or the European way of driving?