Drivers Ed: Why We Teach 9-and-3 Steering Wheel Hand Position And Not 10-and-2 Anymore

When it comes to driving lessons, most parents believe they could teach the driving basics to their children. They have been driving for quite some time now, so they know the rules, or so they think. Some rules and regulations have changed along the way, including your hand positions on the steering wheel. Your parents may have been taught to hold them at 10-and-2, but it is now recommended and taught to hold them at 9-and-3. This is why driving schools, like Coastline Academy, are crucial in your driving experience!

Hand Position On Steering Wheel

For years, it was taught to hold the steering wheel with your hands at the 10 and 2 o'clock positions. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has changed that recommendation and they want drivers to lower their hands to the 9 and 3 o'clock positions.

One of the big reasons for this change is to potentially keep your hands out of the way if the airbag deploys. The steering wheel and associated mechanisms have changed dramatically over the years, so this is a way to keep everyone a little safer.

Besides the 9-and-3 position, you should also place both hands on the outside of the steering wheel. Your grip should be firm, yet gentle. You want to use your fingers instead of the palms of your hands and keep your thumbs up along the face of the steering wheel as seen below.

Steering Methods

When turning the wheel, you never want to grip the wheel from the inside of its rim. Also, you never want to cross over. We teach two methods of steering when turning, either the Hand-over-Hand method or the Push-Pull method. You can get a full explanation of each and see a demonstration in this video:

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our friendly support staff. If you want to start your driver's training journey with Coastline Academy, make sure to sign up for Drivers Ed and book your driving lesson today.