In the past drivers were taught to keep their hands at 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock. Now it is advised to hold the steering wheel differently depending on your steering technique
Hand-to-Hand Steering: When using this method, your left hand grasps the wheel between 7 and 8 o’clock, and your right hand between 4 and 5 o’clock.
these changes were caused by the inclusion of airbags and steering wheels becoming smaller
it is also advised to not wrap your thumb around the steering wheel but instead keep it flush to the face of the steering wheel, because if you are in an accident and the air bag is deployed your thumb being wrapped can cause injury
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/steeringtechniques.pdf
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Can we vote on this? I feel like the body text of the post explains why YSK.
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I think even a more lose interpretation of that rule would suffice, now that I think about it. The rule states that you should include the reason why YSK in the body text, which this post does. The rule does not say that you must use the words “Why YSK” specifically.
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Meanwhile I’m here avoiding airbag related injuries by driving cars old enough not to have any. True big brain move right there if I do say so myself.
They’re also easily disconnected in case you don’t want to be in a statistic like:
Air bags were previously blamed for the deaths of 31 children and 20 adults–mostly smaller women–in low-speed crashes they otherwise could have survived.
My wife (a ‘smaller woman’) will not sit behind one.
I do a single hand around noon.
If you also point down with your fingers it looks like you’re showing everybody your beautiful nails.
My friend who is an EMS paramedic told me about the thumb thing. Apparently lots of people either get broken thumbs or they’re lost entirely.
Had a friend tell me about after i got into an auto accident years ago. I was gripping the sterring wheel 10 and 2 with my thumbs closed in. TYhat shit hurt like hell.
That is just because of people holding on to the wheel during a collision, doesnt matter the wheel holding position just if the thumb is wrapped around the wheel. If a crash is unavoidable letting go of the wheel and letting the belt work is the safest. In formula 1 when the drivers are unavoidably heading twards a wall youll see them cross their hands on their chest so their arms dont fly around during an accident.
I use the 10 & 2 for longer drives because it allows me to monitor tiredness. If my arms start to fall I know it’s probably time to stretch my legs and find some caffeine.
