Place both hands on the steering wheel at the 9 and 3 o’clock position on most modern cars, as recommended by current safety guidance and driving educators.

Quick Scoop

  • The traditional “10 and 2” has largely been replaced because of airbags; if an airbag deploys, higher hand positions increase the risk of arm, wrist, and facial injuries.
  • “9 and 3” gives you better leverage and control for emergency maneuvers while keeping your hands farther from the airbag deployment zone.
  • Some safety sources accept “8 and 4” as an alternative for long, steady driving, since it lowers your hands even more, which can further reduce injury risk if the airbag goes off, but it slightly reduces steering precision.

How To Hold The Wheel

  • Keep both hands on the outside of the wheel, roughly at 9 and 3, not hooked inside the rim.
  • Grip firmly but not rigidly, using your fingers more than your palms, and keep thumbs resting lightly along the front of the wheel rather than tucked inside.
  • Avoid one‑handed driving, palming the wheel, or resting a hand on the hub/airbag cover, as these reduce control and can lead to more severe injuries in a crash.

Turning And Maneuvering

  • Use a “push–pull” (hand‑to‑hand) technique: one hand pushes the wheel up, the other slides and pulls it down, so your arms don’t cross over the airbag area.
  • Stay mostly within the 8–11 o’clock range with the left hand and 1–8 o’clock with the right hand, which maintains control without overreaching.
  • Avoid “hand‑over‑hand” steering at high speeds because crossed arms can be struck hard if an airbag deploys mid‑turn.

Extra Safety Tips

  • Sit close enough that your wrists rest on top of the wheel with a slight bend in your elbows; this gives good control without crowding the airbag.
  • Keep at least about 10 inches between your chest and the wheel so the airbag has space to deploy safely.
  • Check your vehicle manual; very small or large wheels, or special systems, sometimes have specific recommendations, but they almost always align with a 9 and 3 baseline.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.