Re-thinking the “10 and 2” driving position
Posted May 9, 2012 7:19 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Where you keep your hands on the steering wheel could be the difference between safety and serious injury — especially if you keep them in the “10 and 2” position.
If you learned to drive before airbags were common, you were probably told to position your hands at 10 and 2 o’clock. But what happens when an airbag deploys in a fraction of a second at about 300 kilometres per hour?
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warns there have been broken arms, amputations, facial injuries and concussions as hands and arms are blown back. Many organizations and instructors now recommend placing hands at the “9 and 3” position, or even lower, on the steering wheel.
“There are still some people that absolutely refuse to teach that method, but it’s the new standard,” says Tony Staly, a professional driving instructor with Wheel Smart Driving Schools in Metro Vancouver.
“There’s another reason. [10 and 2] doesn’t give you as much control because you can’t turn the steering wheel as far in a quick, emergency maneuver as you can when hold it at ‘9 and 3,'” he adds.
How you steer can also be an airbag safety issue; the “hand-over-hand” style is out. Drivers now being told to “push-pull” by “pushing” the wheel up with one hand and “pulling” it down with the other without crossing over.
