# Hand Position on Steering Wheel

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/hand-position-on-steering-wheel/34075>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [July 27, 2009, 3:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hand-position-on-steering-wheel/34075 "2009-07-27T03:16:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hand-position-on-steering-wheel/34075/21 "2009-07-30T14:22:52Z")

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A friend of mine uses 11 and 1! Sure to get wrists/arms/face broken in an accident, but he’s stubborn.

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**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hand-position-on-steering-wheel/34075/22 "2009-07-30T16:52:02Z")

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Actually, I never assumed it was true, but thanks for letting me know. I will stop repeating it.

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**Author:** ![Ranck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Ranck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ranck)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hand-position-on-steering-wheel/34075/23 "2009-07-30T17:08:35Z")

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I have heard that 9 and 3 is the new recommendation because 10 and 2 is dangerous with airbags. I really can’t see the danger. I was just driving my car to get lunch and looking at my arms when I use 10 and 2 vs 9 and 3 the difference in position is very small. The airbag is going to push them out and away in either case, so where is the idea that 10 and 2 is dangerous coming from? Who did a study and what did it actually say? Now, sure, I can see how one hand at 12 would be bad if the airbag went off, and even both hands together at the top of the wheel would probably not be good either. But, 10 and 2 seems reasonably safe to me, and it certainly is the preferred position for car control, and good car control can keep you out of an accident so the airbag never goes off . . . That’s my story and I’m sticking to it, unless someone can provide cites to real world data that says otherwise.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hand-position-on-steering-wheel/34075/24 "2009-07-30T22:20:55Z")

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I was taught (late '60’s) 10:00 and 2:00.

Lots of cars now have “kidneys” in the steering wheels,those inside bumps to assist in a good grip. Mine does. They place the hands in a 10:00/2:00 position.

I’ve personally never heard of 11:00 and 5:00.

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**Author:** ![rebeldevil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@rebeldevil](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rebeldevil)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hand-position-on-steering-wheel/34075/25 "2009-07-31T16:13:45Z")

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I use 9 and 3 as well. It’s the most comfortable position for me without losing the ability to control.

Seriously, they want my hands at the bottom of the wheel now? How am I supposed to react to an emergency with my hands all the way down there–and right next to each other??

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