The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, AAA, and many driving instructors now say you should grip the wheel at 9 and 3 o'clock. Some studies even suggest an 8 and 4 grasp to avoid the airbag mechanism as much as possible.
Hand position on steering wheel
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.
For starters, 8 and 4 further reduces your risk of injury if the airbag should deploy because your hands will just be pushed into your lap instead of flying upwards or towards your face. 8 and 4 will also decrease your likelihood of swerving should an obstacle surprise you suddenly.
After analysis, scientists found that the rate of onset of muscle fatigue was less while using the 8 o'clock-4 o'clock position as compared to other positions. Interfacial pressure of the handgrip on the steering wheel was also better in this position and there was uniform loading on the palm.
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.
Proper Steering Wheel Hand Position
Your hands should be where the “two” and “10” numbers would be. NHTSA's recommendations have changed in recent years, however. The organization now suggest drivers lower their hands a bit to the “9 and 3” position.
Hand Position
Both hands should be placed outside of the steering wheel on opposite sides. Your grip should be firm, yet gentle. Use your fingers instead of the palms of your hands and keep your thumbs up along the face of the steering wheel. Never turn the wheel while gripping it from the inside of its rim.
All drivers — from teen drivers learning the common traffic laws and rules of the road to experienced drivers with decades behind the wheel — should keep both hands on the wheel most of the time.
The NHTSA recommends hand-to-hand steering as the preferred method rather than 10 and 2 because it can be unsafe in vehicles featuring smaller steering wheels and are equipped with airbags.
The telltale signs of aging on hands include wrinkles, sun spots, a loss of skin elasticity, vein prominence, and a loss of volume in hands that makes the bones and ligaments in your hands appear more prominent.
Phrase. at ten and two. (jargon, uncommon) Referring to a type of driving regarded as safe and conventional, where the position of the hands on the steering wheel of a vehicle matches the hands of a clock.
An academic report that came out in April of 2012 showed that driving with two hands is better than driving with one hand. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) advises you to place your hands at the nine o'clock and three o'clock positions for the safest driving position.
If you are not losing control of your steering wheel or crossing your arms too much, but rather, you are in full control and handling the car safely, crossing your arms shall not cause you to fail a driving test. However, the best practice is to position your arms in the standard 10 to 2 posture throughout the test.
On straight roads, your hands should settle into an effective position on the steering wheel - 10 to 2 or quarter to 3, only tightening your grip when cornering or braking.
Replacement steering wheels must not be less than 330 mm in diameter. If the original steering wheel was designed with a recessed or padded hub, the replacement wheel must be of a similar design.
Drivers should never use one hand or use the steering wheel hub to grip the wheel. Some drivers may remember being taught the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock hand position as the only correct position, but research indicates that a safe position for the driver's hands on the steering wheel can vary.
The steering wheel: ideally, the steering wheel should be positioned so that its centre is at the same height as your neck. We recommend you flex your arms and place both hands on the steering wheel in a quarter-to-three position. Your elbows should be at 90 degrees.