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Steering for Optimum Vehicle Control
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Most people know that fastening your seat belt and adjusting your seat and mirrors correctly are key safety factors. However, one thing that many people don't realize is that correct hand placement on the steering wheel is equally important. Over the years, there have been a variety of opinions about where to place your hands on the wheel when driving. The only consistent rule has been to keep two hands on the wheel, which allows for optimum control while driving, and in the event an emergency maneuver is required. But in what position do you place your hands?
Forget ‘10 and 2'
Many of us were taught to drive with our hands at the ‘10' and ‘2' (o'clock) positions on the steering wheel. Some drivers prefer to drive with one hand at the top (12:00) or the bottom (6 o'clock) of the steering wheel. Yet none of these are optimum positions for hand placement in today's vehicles. The current recommendation for hand placement (if you imagine your steering wheel is a clock) is anywhere between 7 o'clock and 9 o'clock for your left hand and between 3 o'clock and 5 o'clock for your right hand. Although it may feel strange to have your hands so low on the steering wheel, this actually provides better control than the 10 and 2 method. A lower hand position makes it less likely that you will overcorrect during an emergency maneuver, which is what often causes spins, slides, and rollovers. This position is also better from an ergonomic standpoint. In this position, the upper arms are closer to the sides of the body and the forearms are slightly bent, which alleviates fatigue on the shoulders and back.
Perhaps most importantly, with today's steering-wheel-mounted air bags, keeping the hands in the lower section of the steering wheel will minimize injury in the event that the air bag deploys. When air bags deploy, they do so in a fraction of a second and with tremendous force. Hands that are higher on the steering wheel can be propelled back into the face or into the side window, causing injuries. Keeping the hands low reduces this risk.
No more ‘hand over hand'
In the past, driver education courses taught a ‘hand over hand' method when taking turns. Using this method requires the hands to be placed on the upper portion of the steering wheel and at several different points during the turn. Instead, the shuffle steering method is recommended. Commonly used by European drivers, this method allows you to keep your hands in basically the same position as when driving straight; when the steering wheel needs to be turned, you feed the wheel through your hands, pushing the wheel in one direction while pulling it in the other.
Too close for comfort
There is one other item that is key to maintaining proper driving position: the position of your seat. Drivers who sit too close to the steering wheel run the risk of being hit by a deploying air bag. Being too far away from the steering wheel, however, will result in poor posture and increased fatigue to your back, and even possibly reduced steering control.
To find the ideal position for your seat, move the seat as far back as possible while still being able to comfortably fully depress the brake pedal. Next, recline the back of the seat slightly. There should be at least 10 inches of space between your breastbone and the center of the steering wheel.
While these changes may take some getting used to, it should make for a more comfortable drive, and will be safer in the long run. Tara Mello
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