Whether you've been driving for 5 or 50 years... You might be doing something wrong. In fact the old fashion way of holding your steering wheel could actually be dangerous. The experts say there is a safer way.
People today hold the steering wheel of their car in all sorts of positions... Hands on top, hands on the bottom or on both sides. We've been told to think of that wheel as a clock...
Michael Hoshaw/Auto Club of California: "12 a the top, six at the bottom, nine at the side and three at the side."
But what feels natural is now considered old school... In fact it's considered dangerous. You see, it's all about the airbag, an airbag that can deploy at more than 200 miles an hour.
Michael Hoshaw/Auto Club of California: "When that airbag deploys, because it goes up and out, it's going to send your hands and your arms into your face."
And that can cause all sorts of serious injuries. So the Auto Club, the Traffic Safety Administration and others are now saying to hold the wheel in a 9-3 position... On the outside of the airbag.
Michael Hoshaw/Auto Club of California: "If you can minimize the potential loss of fingers, hands or serious injuries to the face, why not do that."
There's also new advice on how you should hold the wheel. You shouldn't grip it with your palms like it's a baseball bat but rather with your fingertips with your thumbs point up.
Michael Hoshaw/Auto Club of California: "When you're on the outside of the steering wheel like this, the airbag deploys, so it's coming up and out and your hands are on the outside."
One more piece of advice from safety experts... You're no longer supposed to cross your arms when you turn the wheel... No more of the hand over hand style.
They say, once again, that you leave yourself vulnerable if the airbag deployed and sent your arms into your head.
Instead you should use one hand to push the wheel up... And the other to pull it down.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and Valley News Live. All Rights Reserved. 
