Driving Lessons Video Series: Steering Wheel Control - Hand-Over-Hand and Push Pull Methods

Published on 2022-11-25 in Driving Lessons

Taking the road test at your local DMV office can be nerve-wracking, as you want to make sure you know how to do all the driving maneuvers the examiner will test you on. One thing to help you during the testing process is to have proper steering wheel control. Our Driving Lessons video series continues today, as one of our driving instructors will show you the hand-over-hand and push-pull method for steering wheel control.

Steering Control During Driving Test

One of the biggest mistakes new drivers make during the driving test is with steering wheel control. While you do want to demonstrate confidence when behind the wheel of a vehicle, you don't want to be so confident that you are driving one-handed. You will want to keep both hands on the wheel when possible and make hand-over-hand turns or use the push-pull method for turning.

Steering Wheel Control Methods

Being able to turn the car sharply in a short amount of time is important for negotiating tight turns and u-turns. There are two strategies for controlling the steering wheel: hand-over-hand and push pull. While there are arguments for which is better, becoming proficient at one of them is key. Work with your driving instructor to determine which strategy is best to learn first.

Hand Over Hand Method

Hand over hand steering is just how it sounds. Both hands work on moving the vehicle with one hand crossing over the other to continue the turn. The hands are continually taken off the wheel and placed back on.

Push Pull Method

Push-pull steering involves alternating gripping and pulling down with one hand on the steering wheel while sliding the other hand down to meet hands near the bottom of the steering wheel.

You can watch both methods in action by checking out our driving instructor demonstrating the steering wheel control methods here:

Check Out Other Driving Lessons Videos

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.

About the Author

Nigel Tunnacliffe is the co-Founder and CEO of Coastline Academy, the largest driving school in the country, on a mission to eradicate car crashes. An experienced founder and technology executive, Nigel and his team are shaking up the automotive industry by taking a technology-centric approach to learning and driver safety. Having served over 100,000 driving students across 500+ cities, Coastline was recently named the 6th fastest-growing education company in America by Inc. Magazine. Nigel is a frequent podcast guest and quoted driving education expert for major publications such as Yahoo!, GOBankingRates, and MSN.