Remember how everyone taught you that the safest way to hold the steering wheel was at 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock? In other words, on the top half of the steering wheel, with one hand on each side , where the ten and two are on a standard clock.
Well, unlearn it. Apparently that’s now a really bad idea, and here’s why:
If you get in an accident and the airbag deploys, your arms will be in the way, and they’ll get THROWN back into your face. The result? Your hands or forearms could end up smashing your teeth and nose.
So what can you do about it? Now you’re supposed to hold the wheel in the middle of each side, at nine and three. Or even a little below that…at eight and four. (Basically it sounds like any combination of hours that’s not ten and two).
And on that note: You’re also not supposed to do the hand-over-hand motion for turns, for the same reason.
Still afraid of breaking the ten-and-two rules that have been around, unchanging and unevaluated, since the dawn of time? Steering wheels on a lot of newer cars are even designed so that your hands naturally hold them in the safer position.
