Proper hand placement on the steering wheel is a fundamental safety practice recommended for every driver, every time they get behind the wheel. If you’ve recently completed a road test, you might recall your examiner observing your posture and hand position during your driving test. Even experienced drivers should regularly review and reinforce these basic principles.
Join along as we look at different hand positions, steering techniques, and how to incorporate them into your defensive driving behaviours!
Controlling the Wheel
Like any driving skill, effective steering requires practice and helps to develop the coordination between your hands and eyes, allowing you to maintain a smooth and straight path. The first primary aspect of good steering is maintaining control of the wheel. To maintain optimal control, keep both hands on the outer rim of the steering wheel. Placing your hands inside the wheel can significantly increase the risk of injury during a collision. While you may occasionally need to steer with one hand when changing gears or using other controls, both hands should remain on the wheel for the vast majority of your driving time.
Maintaining Proper Road Position
The second primary aspect of good steering is maintaining proper road position. Steer the vehicle smoothly, minimising side-to-side movement. The most effective way to achieve this is to look well ahead in the direction you intend to travel. Your peripheral vision will assist you in centering the vehicle and maintaining a straight line. When turning, look ahead in the direction of the turn to facilitate a smooth arc. For example, when navigating the winding sections of Highway 7 between Mission and Hope, looking ahead will help you maintain a consistent line through the curves. To further enhance your road positioning, observe the road ahead to anticipate curves and heed the signs indicating upcoming bends.
Where Should You Position Your Hands?
Imagine the steering wheel as the face of a clock. Position your hands at either the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock, 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock, or 8 o’clock and 4 o’clock positions. Choose the position that feels most comfortable and provides the best control for you. Ensure your grip is firm but relaxed, allowing for smooth and responsive steering. Your arms should be slightly bent, not straight or sharply angled and your thumbs should rest along the rim of the wheel, not wrapped around the spokes, to minimise the risk of injury during airbag deployment.
Different Steering Techniques
Shuffling the Wheel (Push-Pull Method)
The shuffling or push-pull method is ideal for making minor steering adjustments while maintaining continuous control of the wheel. To execute this technique, keep your hands at the 9 and 3 or 10 and 2 o’clock positions. Pull down one side of the steering wheel with one hand while simultaneously pushing up on the opposite side with the other. Your hands will come together, but they should never cross over each other; instead, they are continuously shuffled back to their original positions. This method is particularly useful for maintaining lane position during highway driving or navigating gentle curves.
Hand-Over-Hand Steering Shuffling the Wheel (Push-Pull Method)
The hand-over-hand steering technique is best suited for making sharp turns at low speeds, such as when turning at intersections or manoeuvring in parking lots. To perform this technique, the driver initiates the turn by steering in the desired direction. As the turn progresses, one hand releases its grip, reaches across the steering wheel, and grasps the opposite side. This hand then pulls the wheel further, while the other hand releases and moves to grasp the newly exposed section of the wheel. This process is repeated until the turn is completed. It is important to perform this technique smoothly to avoid abrupt changes in direction. This technique is especially useful in situations where a large degree of steering input is required in a short amount of time, like when performing a tight U-turn on a residential street.
Additional Considerations
Airbags
Steering wheel airbags have been a standard safety feature in modern vehicles for many years. With an airbag-equipped steering wheel, the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock or 8 o’clock and 4 o’clock hand positions are strongly preferred. Other hand positions can lead to serious injuries, particularly to the hands and face, if the airbag deploys. Airbags deploy at up to 300 km per hour so proper adjustment is crucial!
Large and Commercial Vehicles
Driving a large or commercial vehicle, such as a truck or bus, differs significantly from driving a standard passenger car. Due to their size and weight, these vehicles often require different steering techniques. For trucks, the hand-over-hand steering method is generally recommended, especially when frequent and tight turns are necessary. This technique allows drivers to exert more force on the steering wheel and maintain better control during complex manoeuvres. Additionally, the larger turning radius of commercial vehicles often necessitates more extensive steering input, making hand-over-hand steering a practical and efficient choice.
Expect the Unexpected
While power steering significantly eases the effort required for turning, it's essential to maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel and remain acutely aware of your vehicle's response. In the event of power steering failure, or if a flat tire suddenly compromises your vehicle's control, you'll need to exert significantly more force to steer. In these situations, there likely won't be time to reposition your other hand, or the wheel could jerk out of a light grip. Maintaining a proactive awareness of your vehicle's handling, even with functional power steering, will allow you to react more effectively if these unexpected situations occur.
Steering Techniques to Avoid
While proper steering techniques are essential for safe driving, it's equally important to be aware of practices that can compromise your control and increase the risk of accidents. Here are a few steering techniques to avoid:
One-Handed Steering
While briefly using one hand to adjust controls or change gears is sometimes unavoidable, prolonged one-handed steering reduces your ability to react quickly to unexpected situations. This is especially true at higher speeds or in challenging road conditions. For instance, attempting to navigate the Malahat Highway with one hand significantly limits your control and your reaction time to the unexpected. Avoid relying on one hand for routine steering, such as when driving on straight stretches of road.
Inside Gripping
It is important to avoid gripping the inside of the steering wheel. Positioning your hands on the inner rim or spokes significantly increases the risk of injury if the wheel slips or jerks unexpectedly. In such situations, the sudden movement of the steering wheel can cause your hands to be forcefully twisted or struck against the interior of the vehicle, leading to sprains, fractures, or other injuries. Moreover, an inside grip offers less control over the vehicle, making it harder to react quickly and effectively to sudden changes in road conditions or emergencies. Notably, if your vehicle is equipped with a steering wheel airbag, an inside hand position poses a serious risk of severe hand and arm injuries should the airbag deploy. The force of the inflating airbag can propel your hands into your face or chest with considerable force. Maintaining a firm grip on the outer rim of the steering wheel allows for better control and significantly reduces the potential for injury from both sudden wheel movements and airbag deployment.
Palming the Wheel
This technique, where the driver uses the palm of their hand to turn the wheel, offers very limited control. It is particularly dangerous in emergency situations that require rapid and precise steering inputs. This technique also limits the drivers ability to feel feedback from the road.
Over- or Under-Steering
Over-steering occurs when you turn the wheel too much, causing the vehicle to turn more sharply than intended. Under-steering is the opposite, where you turn the wheel too little, resulting in the vehicle not turning as much as you expect. Both over-steering and under-steering can lead to loss of control, especially on slippery surfaces or during sudden manoeuvres. These errors are amplified during rain or snow, where traction is reduced. Practice smooth and controlled steering inputs to avoid these errors.
Crossing Hands
While hand-over-hand steering requires crossing hands, excessive crossing during routine driving can lead to instability and reduced control. Excessive hand crossing can become problematic when needing to react quickly.
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Effective steering hinges on consistent control and unwavering attention to the road. Maintaining a firm grip on the wheel and continuously scanning your surroundings helps you cultivate the safe driving habits that become second nature, ensuring a lifetime of confident and safe journeys. Embrace these practices, and you'll find driving becomes not only safer but also a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.
For further insights into steering techniques and driving confidence, be sure to check out our other blog posts, Driver's Guide to Steering Techniques and Navigating the Road with Confidence as a New Driver.