In the old days the Drivers Manual said to position your hands at 10:00 and 3:00. Has anything changed since airbags have been developed?
Thanks
Yep. The AAA is recommending 3 and 9 so that your forearms don’t get slammed against your chest, taking your hands off the wheel and possibly punching you in the face.
What is AAA’s position on left wrist at 12 o’clock, w/ hand dangling between dash & wheel, body slouched to the right with right hand on stick? That’s the way cool people drive.
I have also read that it is now recommended to keep your thumbs on the outside of the wheel lest the be damaged by the airbag.
I’ve alway done that, but not for that reason. (I make an effort to only drive older, “unsafe” cars :D) The reason I was taught to keep the thumbs on the outside is in case one (road)wheel drops unexpectedly, and snaps the steering wheel to one side. Not a big thing on well-maintained roads, but if you’re out in the woods on a logging “trail” in a Jeep (like I was), it could break your thumbs.
Wait a minute…10:00 and 3:00??? When I learned to drive it was 10:00 and 2:00 - and that was only 3 1/2 years ago! Perhaps the rules have changed with airbags, but 10 and 3 just seems odd…
Yeh, I think the OP is mitaken; I’ve always learned the old rule was 10 and 2, and the new one is 9 and 3.
I usually use just 6, though I switch to 10 and 2 if I am doing something that requires precise maneuvering.