The Do’s And Don’t Of Steering Your Car

One of the first things you will need to learn when you start taking your driving lessons is how to steer the car properly. It’s perhaps the most fundamental aspect of driving, but it is something that a lot of people struggle with at first. Perhaps it’s because having a two-ton hunk of metal and plastic under your control is intimidating, or it just takes a bit of adjusting in terms of being able to observe where the car is going and the effect it has on its environment. Whatever the case, you should keep these do’s and don’ts for steering in mind whenever you take the wheel.

Do Go 10 and 2

The positioning of your hands on the wheel is crucial, as proper positioning ensures you stay in control of the vehicle at all times. It is likely that one of the first things your driving instructor will show you is the “10 and 2” wheel positioning. This basically means that you should keep your left hand at 10 o’clock and your right at 2 o’clock on the wheel at all times. The only time this changes is when you need to move left hand so you can change gears, indicate or activate something on the car, like the wipers.

Don’t Let The Wheel Slide

Bring the wheel back to centre is something that you are going to have to do every time you turn a corner. A lot of people allow the wheel to slide through their hands and straighten itself when they start driving, but this means you aren’t in full control of the car. It will get you marked down on your test and may lead to the car overcorrecting itself following a turn. Keep your hands in the correct position and work the wheel through them to return it to the correct position.

Do Minimise The Time You Spend With A Hand Off The Wheel

There are times when it is necessary to take a hand off the wheel. Changing gears is the main offender here, which makes it crucial that you learn how to do it smoothly. Your gear changes should only take a couple of seconds and should be done when you know you have complete control of the car. Don’t rush yourself, as this can lead to mistakes, but keep in mind that the longer your hand is off the wheel, the longer you don’t have full control of the car.

Don’t Get Lax

As you build experience in driving it can be easy to take your steering skills for granted. This is especially the case when you have passed your test and are out on the roads without supervision. Your hand positioning may change or you may start driving with an elbow leaning on an open window. There are all sorts of ways that you can get lazy in your steering, so you should focus on not allowing that to happen if you want to stay as safe as possible when on the road.