Those of us in Florida who took our Drivers' Ed classes in decades past certainly remember the oft-repeated phrase "ten and two." Ten and two is a kind of code for the positions one's hands should take on a steering wheel. If the steering wheel is a clock, we were all told that you should place your right hand at two o'clock and your left at ten o'clock. Keeping your hands thus positioned would enable you to steer effectively and retain the greatest control over your vehicle. Ten and two! It's practically gospel, right?
Not anymore. These days, the old phrase "ten and two" should be amended with "is not best for you." Ten and two was ideal when cars were manufactured without power steering, and their wheels were much harder to turn. Having the hands placed relatively high up on the wheel made it easier to start a turn, using the weight of your hand and arm to help you move the wheel in a downward motion toward the right or left. While the ten and two position may still be perfectly suited for the few people who drive old cars and trucks without power steering, in most cases it is best replaced with a new standard: "eight and four."
Keeping hands at the eight o'clock and four o'clock positions allows you to turn a vehicle with ease and is widely thought to be the least-fatiguing of all positions. Nine o'clock and three o'clock are also good hand positions for drivers, as they enable you to enjoy balanced leverage. But it is generally more likely for a sense of tiredness to creep into hands and arms when they are fixed in those positions for long car trips. To stave off achy limbs when you're on the road for lengthy periods, you can safely use eight and four.
Another advantage to using the eight and four or nine and three positions is the decreased likelihood of injuring yourself in the event that your vehicle's airbag inflates. Airbags can emerge at a speed of more than 100 miles per hour! If your airbag comes out and your hands are at ten and two, they can be forcibly pushed back into your face, causing injury. In contrast, if the hands are at lower positions when the airbag comes out, they will most likely be pushed to the sides of your body.
Of course, every car trip is different. Sometimes, such as when you're making a quick trip to the supermarket, fatigue is not a concern, and nine and three will work just fine. Moreover, steering wheel and airbag designs vary, as do driving situations. And chances are if you were in an emergency situation, you would naturally move your hands up higher than the eight and four positions to nine and three to have more control of the wheel. It's okay to use the hand positions that allow for the greatest comfort, and, most importantly, feel safest at any given time.
For questions about driving safety and insurance, contact Insurance Wagon today.