I learned how to drive a car by operating a Honda Civic with a manual transmission near the cornfields of Central Illinois in the early 1980s. As I recall, my father always told me to imagine that the steering wheel was a clock and I should grip the steering wheel at the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock position to maximize control and quick maneuverability. So…that was the way I was taught; that was the way I drove; and that is way I continue to do it today.
The Honda Civic had power steering. The 1952 Chrysler Imperial was the first passenger vehicle to have power steering, and the technology became widely available in cars in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In short, the technological invention made it easier to turn the steering wheel with little effort; particularly, when the car was slowing or stopped. I remember that driving a car without power steering became a chore and took a good deal of muscular exertion with every turn.
Now, I drive a SUV and a Ford pickup, both of which have power steering. The SUV also has a faux wood steering wheel that needs to be gripped tightly. Up until yesterday, I was driving that car using the old 10 o’clock 2 o’clock position. However, today, I read an article that references a study by the American Automobile Association (AAA) that concludes that this grip technique is not only incorrect but dangerous as well. State Farm and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both made this determination as well.
Apparently, in the days of yore before power steering, the “10 and 2” position enabled a motorist to exert more control by pulling down on the side of the steering wheel to enable a turn. However, most–if not all–cars produced today are equipped with power steering and the wheel does not require such force or placement of the hands.
Continue Reading