I tend to drive one-handed with my right hand roughly in the 11:00 position. That puts my arm crossing over the front of the steering wheel. When my airbag blows, what will happen to me? Will it break my arm? Will it knock my fist into my skull? Or what?
Wow. Of all the unusual driving positions I have seen / heard of over the years, this one has to be one of the strangest, if not least useful. Car control in an emergency is going to be marginal at best. There is a reason why race car drivers place there hands where they do, and it has nothing to do with looking cool.
Anyway getting back to your question. First off ask your self what would happen in a non airbag car if I got into an accident. You body would be thrown forward stretching the seat belt and your face/upper body would hit the steering wheel. I think in this case there would be an excellent change of a broken arm, elbow, or a dislocation / torn muscles.
Add the airbag, and you have a similar scenario, except now your arm will be coming back toward you at high speed as your face is headed toward it at high speed.
You might be the very first driver in history ever to score a one punch knock out on themselves.
[Jim Carey in Liar, Liar] What’s it look like, I’m kicking my ass[/JCiLL]
Is it that uncommon to drive that way?
I’ve never seen or heard of anyone driving like that.
I see it all the time. It’s quite confortable, and I find myself doing it sometimes, especially in stop-and-go traffic. (When I do catch myself doing that or hand-over-hand steering, I try to adjust for airbag reasons, but such habits are hard to change.)
ETA: I never drive that way at speed, as control is certainly reduced, but I do see others doing so.
Yes.
Mythbusters had an episode on this. Yes, you will punch yourself in the face very hard if you do this. Not a good plan.
The worst plan is to drive with your thumbs overlapping the place on the steering wheel that houses the airbag. The piece of plastic that covers the airbag will definitely break your thumbs.
w.
What is the recommended hand positions to minimize injury during airbag deployment?
Back in South Africa when I did my drivers test you had to use both hands in the 10 and 2 positions, and under normal driving conditions you were never supposed to have your hands cross each other (basically you’d slide them around to new grip positions as you were turning).
It seems your arms would be sort of out of the way then, but perhaps gripping at the bottom of the wheel would be better?
Hands at the sides of the wheel (without the thumbs over the airbag) or bottom of the wheel were safest.
w.
What about just the left hand at the 10 o’clock position while we are at it? That is what I do.
But you wouldn’t have much control of the car like that. I’ve read that 10 and 2 is still good, but some authorities are recommending 9 and 3.
Everyone I know with a standard-shift drives like that, but with the left hand usually slightly right of 12:00…wherever the point of balance is that keeps the weight of your arm from pulling the steering wheel to the left.
ETA: Had to go run out to my car and try it. In my particular vehicle, the left hand at 10:00 also works nicely with my elbow propped up against the top of the door.
He said
In 1967, driver’s ed taught us, “put your hands at 10 and 2, and when you turn, one hand pushes over the top.” That was before airbags, and that over the top stuff will break your arm and your facial bones :smack: when the bag goes off.
The new drill is 9 and 3. When you have to turn, it’s push up with one hand, then grab with the other and pull down. Never let your arm cross the center of the wheel, where the bag lives.
It took me a while to break the old habits.
Whew, I’m glad my car doesn’t have any airbags, then. 
I tend to drive with my hands at 8 and 4, since thats where the “holes” are in my wheel. Also, my seat sets farther back from the wheel (even though it telescopes) than any other vehicle I’ve driven, so I drive with my palms facing me these days.
My holes are at 8 and 4 also, where all the stereo controls (on the left) and cruise controls (on the right) are. Based on this thread, I think I’ll switch to driving that way.
Too bad the government didn’t try to educate the millions of older drivers on the road, that their air bag laws resulted in needing to change how you turn. Unless a driver took classes after airbags were out, nobody has told them they’re likely to break an arm using the way taught in every school across this nation, if they set off the airbag. It seems like a rather important message to pass on, more so than many of the banal items they waste money on. For an example, I’ll just pick on the letter that was mailed telling you the federal check was being mailed in one week.