When turning corners, use the hand-over-hand or grip and slide method. Do not turn the wheel with only the palm of your hand. Letting the wheel slip through your fingers could be dangerous.
NHTSA recommends the driver use the area of the steering wheel area between “11 and 8 o'clock” with their left and the “1 and 8 o'clock” area with their right, regardless of which way they're turning. Using the hand-to-hand or push/pull steering method helps prevent injuries.
There are three main types of steering movements: hand-over-hand, hand-to-hand, and one-hand steering.
When turning corners, use the hand-over-hand or grip and slide method. Do not turn the wheel with only the palm of your hand. Letting the wheel slip through your fingers could be dangerous.
Use the hand-over-hand method with sharper turns
As the name suggests, your hands are going to cross each other while turning the wheel. Hand-over-hand may feel awkward at first, but it's the proper and safest method for making a turn.
Lesson two – turning techniques
Use smooth, continuous steering wheel movements when approaching a turn and when returning (sliding) the wheel through the hands until the vehicle is in the proper post-turn position. When turning sharp corners, turn the steering wheel using the “hand-over-hand” technique.
While the hand-over-hand method is often recommended for sharper bends and higher speeds, the push-pull technique actually affords the driver better control in these situations.
There are two methods of steering a motor vehicle that demonstrate correct steering wheel technique. These are the pull-push steering method and the hand-over-hand method. Your Driving Instructor should assist in deciding which method is most suitable for you.
The pull-push steering technique is ideal for when driving at low speeds and making big turns. To use this technique, simply pull the wheel down with one hand while pushing it up with the other hand, alternating as necessary.
Toe: negative toe or toe-out increases cornering ability, with the inner wheel angled more aggressively into the turn. The smaller turning radius of the inner wheel, pulls the vehicle into the turn. However, this decreases straight line stability.
The most common cause of a stiff steering wheel is the lack of enough power steering fluid in the system. This condition can arise if there's fluid leakage from the pressurized hose area. Refilling the liquid in the power steering tank will fix the problem for the time being, but the leak must be taken care of.
Several experts say hand-over-hand steering isn't the safest steering method for two main reasons. First, with hand-over-hand steering the driver's arm crosses over the center of the steering wheel where the airbag is located. In the event that airbag deploys, it could cause serious injury to the driver's arm.
The steering system is designed to have a hard steering at high speeds to prevent any rollovers. The Dynamic Stability Control or Traction Control is designed to keep the vehicle from over steering when driven at a higher speed.
You must keep both hands on the wheel at all times unless changing gears or indicating. It doesn't matter whether you're driving an automatic or a manual – the law is the same across Australia.
The popular rack and pinion steering system
In most cars, small trucks and SUVs on the road today, there is a rack and pinion steering system. This converts the rotational motion of the steering wheel into the linear motion that turns the wheels and guides your path.
The most popular type of steering system on today's vehicles is rack-and-pinion. An engine-driven pump and hydraulic system are used to assist steering action in a power steering system. An integral-piston power steering system has the hydraulic piston mounted inside the steering gearbox.
Advantages of Electric Power Steering
Electric systems do not require power steering fluid to work and only draw power when needed, making them more fuel efficient than hydraulic systems.
There are two types of power steering systems: hydraulic and electric/electronic.
There are two main types of steering gears used for most modern vehicles: the rack and pinion steering gear and the recirculating ball steering gear.