.... about Auto Insurance and Auto Safety ?

Each day for as long as I can come up with good questions and there is interest in the threads, I'll ask a question. It'll be a fun way to see what you know (or don't know) about subjects that are pretty important to all of us.

You can take a shot at it if you'd like. Around 9:00 each evening (EST), I'll post the answer and you can check to see if you got it right. Also around that time, I'll post another thread with the new question.

So, the first question is:

Crash tests and post-accident injury studies prove that in a car with driver's air bag, the best positions on the steering wheel to place your hands is ? (use the numbers on the clock to describe your answer).

 

3 and 9

 

I will stick with 2 and 10. I have long arms. Plus the steering wheel is not made for much else.

 

10 + 2 with your body at least 10-15 inches away from the steering wheel to allow room for the airbag to deploy

 

I agree with 10 n 2

 

I would have to say lower is better and go with 8 and 4 to prevent the least impact to your arms and fewer objects for your hand to collide with when moving forward.

 

I do 8 and 4 because i have long arms and seattle incity traffic sucks.

 

3&9 to maximize hand to hand

 

I agree with 4 and 8.

And in answer to your thread title: Not much.

Are all the questions going to be on this topic? Not exactly my area of expertise...this should be educational

 

Yep... Auto Insurance and Auto Safety (more of the former than the latter since that is my area of expertise).

 

I think the correct answer is 3 and 9... to avoid your arms getting caught up in the airbag deployment.

For actual driving and track work I've always liked 4 and 8 better, though. It increases circulation by keeping your forarms lower & more level. Better circulation keeps your arms/hands more relaxed. Relaxed hands feel more of the feedback transmitted from the front of the car. Also easier to shuffle stear & avaid crossing up your arms whe AutoX-ing.

 

8 & 4. Keeps your arms out of the way of air bag deployment and keeps them from being flung against the window and into the face of your passenger.

 

 

I believe the "correct" answer is 9 and 3, but in most of MINI, there are bars at those positions, so I find it easier to put it at 10 and 2--they *might* be in greater danger of getting damaged, but I think placing at 8 and 4 doesn't provide as much control over the wheel as 10 and 2 (or 9 and 3) provides.

 

I learned the old 10-and-2 in driver's ed back in the day, but I'll say 8 and 4... I like MirthScout's logic.

 

I've seen 8 and 4 mentioned (someplace other than this thread), and it makes sense.

However, 10-and-2 or 9-and-3 are better for controlling your vehicle, thus helping you avoid a crash in the first place. A lot of stuff I've see written about airbags seems to assume that the bags could just "go off" at random any time, and therefore you should always keep hands and arms out of their way. This also implies that cars and other obsticles just magically appear out of nowhere for you to run into at speed. There are VERY few instances where a person who is paying attention is not going to see the thing that they are about to run into.

I say that positioning your hands so that you can best control the vehicle is the best practice. Stay out of the wreck in the first place, and you won't have to worry about the airbag hitting your hands.

 

A good point.

 

Anywhere between 7 and 9 for the left hand, and between 3 and 5 for the right. Like crunchyfrog I was taught 10 and 2, and I still find that to be the most comfortable for my arms...except when I need a position change and I end up with both hands (or just one hand) near 6.

 

While I agree with you and I assume most would, you would have not answered the question at hand...

 

Can I ask about the data and sources for your answers? I"m afraid I've seen data and statistics misinterpreted and outright wrong more often than not. . .

 

Yeah, you can ask.

 

I was hoping you'd play along and ask, Indy.

I'll give my source when I reveal the answer around 9:00 this evening.

 

Do I get to start a thread now called "What Do You Know about...Hypertension?" (or insert other general medical condition)?

Guess it's not what NAMers are interested in, eh? Just a tad off-topic .

 

SURE ! You just have to post in the Off Topic Forum !

 

Three kinds of lies...marriage, love and statistics Oh i just couldn't resist posting that - came out of the blue as i was about to post the cliché about lies and statistics. *puts on flame retardant fur and starts burrowing*

What? I kid I kid *continues digging*

Edit: fixed spelling.