How should the driver grip the steering wheel?
Experts at the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) now recommend 9 and 3 — on opposite sides of the wheel halfway up — as the ideal steering wheel hand placement. The 9 and 3 steering wheel hand position maintains good control over the wheel while reducing the risk of injury from the airbag.
Remember to place your hands in the nine and three position at all times while driving. Never drive with only one hand, your fingertips, or, even worse, with your knees. While turning to the left or right, use the push and pull technique to ensure that the steering wheel does not slip out of your hands.
The 10 – 2 Grip
For decades now, the 10-2 position has been the traditional favorite because, in theory, the grip allows a driver to keep the car running smoothly without needing to jerk the wheel suddenly if cut off or if there is a hazard on the road.
According to AAA, positioning your hands at 10 and 2 is no longer the best way to grip the steering wheel. In fact, it can be downright dangerous. Holding the wheel at 10 and 2 is a remnant from an era before power steering became standard on all vehicles, when turning required more force to get your wheel to move.
Because the “4 o'clock and 8 o'clock” hand position keeps your wrists and arms out of harm's way if the airbag deploys.
The recommended position of your hands is now at 9 and 3 o'clock, with the thumbs placed along the rim rather than looping around it. In the event of an accident, the force of airbag deployment can send hands at the top of the wheel into your head or even break thumbs.
Experts at the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) now recommend 9 and 3 — on opposite sides of the wheel halfway up — as the ideal steering wheel hand placement. The 9 and 3 steering wheel hand position maintains good control over the wheel while reducing the risk of injury from the airbag.
A tight or stiff steering wheel is an indication that there is a problem with your vehicle's power steering system and needs to be checked by a professional mechanic immediately.
How Far Away Should You Be From The Steering Wheel? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety state that a distance of 10 or more inches from the steering wheel is safe. This is due to the power and impact that an airbag can produce.
Hand position on steering wheel
Lower your hands. You probably learned to keep your hands at the 10 and 2 o'clock positions on the steering wheel. Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends drivers put their hands at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions.
Should you hold a steering wheel 8 and 4?
Hand-to-Hand Steering
Start with your hands at 9 and 3 o'clock or 8 and 4 o'clock. Do not cross your hands over the middle of the steering wheel. Keep your hands in these positions, even when making turns.
Hand position corresponds to the numbers on the clock's face. There are two primary things to consider when gripping the steering wheel: control and safety (in the event of airbag deployment). The old-school “10 and 2” position favors control, while the “8 and 4” recommendation favors safety.
Examiners are primarily looking for safe and effective control of the vehicle. As long as you maintain full control of the vehicle and execute manoeuvres smoothly and safely, crossing your hands won't be a problem.
Hidden Operating Space refers to the area around your car that's impossible to see while you're sitting in the driver's seat. When you're taking your driving lessons, take a moment to recognize the spaces around your car that you don't have visual access to. Think of it as an invisible bubble engulfing your car.
Keep Your Thumbs Out!
While it may seem crazy to not have that firm clenched-on grip with your thumbs wrapped around the leather, it's a definite no-no. If the front tires hit a rock just right, the wheel can whip around with such force as it can actually break your thumbs!
Drivers can place their hands at 10 and 2, 9 and 3 or 8 and 4, Penning says, as long as they are using both hands and their hands are placed symmetrically. There is one position that is not recommended: 12, or a hand on the top middle of the wheel.
Where should you place your hands on the steering wheel? Correct answer: D. 9 and 3; Driver's should place the left hand on the 9 o'clock position and the right hand at 3 o'clock position on the steering wheel. This position helps avoid an injury from airbag deployment during an accident.
Hand position on steering wheel
Lower your hands. You probably learned to keep your hands at the 10 and 2 o'clock positions on the steering wheel. Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends drivers put their hands at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions.
Historically, drivers have been instructed to hold the steering wheel at the “10 o'clock” and “2 o'clock” positions. The reasoning is that this allows for maximum hand-over-hand control when making turns. Old as this advice may be, there's a very good reason why you shouldn't drive at “10 and 2.”
Keep both hands on the wheel unless you're changing gear or working another control with one hand and put that hand back on the wheel as soon as you can. Do not rest your arm on the door because this restricts your movement and, therefore, may affect your control of the steering wheel.
Should you hold steering wheel tight?
A light grip is important for safety, as is the push-pull method of steering. If you wrap your fingers and thumbs tightly around the wheel and have an incident with, say hitting the kerb or driving into a pothole, you might find you lose control of the steering wheel as it spins violently out of your grip.
The Dangers of 10 and 2
If the airbag deploys while your hands are at 10 and 2, the force is pushing against your elbows, which are likely in a “locked” position. Your arms may be pushed outward, and you're more likely to suffer severe arm injuries such as hyperextension, torn ligaments, or even dismemberment.
'If you feel uptight or stressed you might have both your hands on the wheel and shoulders up. This can also be the case if you're an antisocial personality type. If you have a more relaxed personality, you're more likely to drive with one hand on the top of the steering wheel.
If you think of the steering wheel as a clock face, your hands should hold the wheel at either the 9 and 3 o'clock position or the 8 and 4 o'clock position, whichever is the most comfortable. Keep your thumbs along the face of the steering wheel instead of gripping the inside of the rim.
