To control your vehicle, it is critical to keep both hands on the wheel whenever possible. California recognises three steering methods, and each has its moment.
🤝 Hand-to-Hand Steering (Push/Pull)
The default method for normal driving.
- Start with your hands at 9 and 3 o’clock, or 8 and 4 o’clock.
- Do not cross your hands over the middle of the steering wheel.
- Keep your hands in these positions, even when making turns — you push the wheel up with one hand and pull it down with the other.
Why it matters: with an airbag in the steering wheel, hands crossed over the centre can be thrown into your face if it deploys.
🔄 Hand-Over-Hand Steering
Use this method when you turn at low speeds, park, or need to recover from a skid.
- Start with your hands at 8 and 4 o’clock.
- Reach across the steering wheel to grasp the opposite side.
- Let go of the steering wheel with your other hand.
- Reach across the arm still holding the wheel, grip it, and pull up.
☝️ One-Hand Steering
There are only two situations that may require steering with one hand:
- When you are turning while backing up, so you can see where you are going behind you. Place your hand at the 12 o’clock position.
- When you are operating vehicle controls that require you to take a hand off the wheel.
Outside those two cases, both hands belong on the wheel.
🎯 On the Drive Test
The examiner is evaluating your ability, not the car’s. Remember that automated parallel parking, lane departure and adaptive cruise control are not allowed during the test. Backup cameras and blind spot monitors may be used, but never as a replacement for actually looking at your mirrors and blind spots.