Steering and turning

By the end of this topic you can

• You can hold the wheel in a balanced, relaxed position.
• You can steer using push-pull or hand-over-hand smoothly.
• You can slow down before a turn and steer accurately through it.
• You can steer straight while reversing at low speed.

What you need to know and understand

• Keep both hands on the outside of the wheel with thumbs along the rim.
• Steering must be smooth and progressive, not sudden.
• Reduce speed before steering into a turn, then wait until the car begins to straighten before accelerating.
• Let the wheel return to centre after a turn, but guide it with your hands rather than letting it spin freely.
• Look where you want to go. The car tends to follow your eyes.
• Keep both hands on the wheel except when changing gear or using a control.

Two steering methods

Push-pull: one hand pulls the wheel down while the other slides, then the other hand pushes it up. Your right hand stays on the right half of the wheel and your left hand on the left half, so your arms never cross. Many instructors prefer it because your hands stay ready and the airbag area stays clear.

Hand-over-hand: your hands cross over the top of the wheel to turn it further and faster. It is useful for tight, low-speed manoeuvres such as parking.

Whichever you use, the NT handbook stresses the same rules: smooth movements, thumbs on the rim, hands on the outside, and slowing before you steer.

Steering through a turn

1. Check mirrors and signal early.
2. Slow down to a suitable speed while still going straight.
3. Look into the road you are turning into.
4. Steer smoothly to follow the correct path, keeping left of the centre for left turns and passing to the right of the centre point for right turns where there are no markings.
5. As the car straightens, feed the wheel back to centre and gently accelerate.

Steering when reversing

Reverse slowly and look where the car is going, mostly over your shoulder through the rear window, with quick checks of the mirrors and the front of the car. Small steering movements make a big difference when reversing, so turn the wheel gently.

Common mistakes

• Turning at too high a speed and swinging wide. Slow down before you steer.
• Letting the wheel spin back through your hands after a turn.
• Steering with one hand, or with a hand hooked through the spokes.
• Staring at the kerb or the bonnet instead of where you want to go.

Test yourself: Steering and turning

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.