Fleet Safety Tip of the Week

This week’s tip, taken from the California Driver Handbook, concerns steering control and steering techniques. You may want to pass this along to your drivers as a friendly reminder.

Look at the steering wheel as a clock face, and place your hands at 9 and 3 o’clock or slightly lower at 8 and 4 o’clock. These are the desired hand positions that reduce the possibility of turning the wheel too sharply.

To reduce forearm and hand injuries, your hands should be placed on the lower half of the steering wheel, with your knuckles on the outside of the wheel and your thumbs stretched along the rim of the steering wheel.

Pull-Push Steering – Use pull-push steering for most turning maneuvers. Put your hands in the 8 and 4 o’clock positions. Pull down with one hand and push up with the other. This results in smooth steering and reduces the potential for over-steering, which can lead to loss of control. Keep your hands and thumbs on the outside of the wheel.

Hand-Over-Hand Steering – Use hand-over-hand steering when steering movements are critical, such as when parking, performing sharp right turns or correcting a skid. Use quick movements on entry to the maneuver, and then use slow, smooth movements when straightening the wheel.

One-Hand Steering – Use one-hand steering for backing maneuvers that do not require full left or right turns, or when operating vehicle controls for information, safety or comfort.