Beginner Driver Education · Vehicle Handling
Master Steering Control for Better Vehicle Handling
Driviology Road Safety Education Team
What this actually means for you
Most new drivers learn this by feel after a few lessons. Understanding it on paper first makes those lessons click much faster. It is crucial to understand how to control the steering. Get this right and the car starts doing what you expect, when you expect it — which is most of what confidence behind the wheel is built on.
Steering Control Techniques for Safe Driving
It is crucial to understand how to control the steering.
Holding the steering wheel correctly
The driver must firmly grip the steering wheel with both hands to ensure the reaction to split-second emergencies.
When holding the steering wheel, tuck the thumbs into the wheel to ensure maximum grip.
Imagine the wheel as an analog clock; the driver should hold the wheel at 9-3.
Be sure not to hold it at 10-2 or any other positions, as the airbag opening can cause the wrists to break.
1. Changing directions
There are two methods one can use when navigating a turn.
- Push and Pull method
Pull the steering wheel towards the direction the driver intends to turn. The driver pulls the wheel, relaxing the other hand and bringing it down to meet the pulling hand. Now, loosen the pulling hand, allow the other hand to take over, and push the steering wheel until you complete the turn.
- Hand over Hand method
Place hands at the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions.
If the driver is turning to the right:
Push the wheel to the right with the left hand and allow the other hand to follow the wheel instead of letting go.
When the right-hand reaches the 1 o’clock position, let go of the wheel. Let the left hand go across and over the right hand. Now, with the left hand, hold the wheel at 11 or 12.
Let go of the wheel with the left hand and continue the same process with the right hand.
2. One-handed driving
One-handed driving is only allowed in specific situations, such as reversing parallel parking or changing gears.
When reversing, the driver can look back out of the rear window and use one hand to turn the steering wheel.
Spinning the steering wheel
Do not allow the steering wheel to spin freely during the driving test, precisely when the car straightens after a turn.
Allowing it to spin will make it appear as if the driver does not control the car.
Using this on Ontario roads — and on your road test
Ontario makes this real very quickly. A manoeuvre that feels easy on a dry Markham side street in June behaves differently on a slushy Scarborough road in February, and the difference is always in how smoothly you ask the car to work. Practise the technique slowly first — in an empty lot or a quiet street — until the movements are boring. On a G2 or G test, examiners are watching for exactly that: smooth, planned control, with no sudden grabs at the wheel or stabs at the pedals when something surprises you.
Questions drivers ask us
Can you explain steering control for better vehicle handling in simple terms?
The driver must firmly grip the steering wheel with both hands to ensure the reaction to split-second emergencies.
How should I practise this as a new driver?
Start at low speed, in a quiet area, with your instructor or supervising driver beside you. Build the movement step by step until it feels routine, then use it in normal traffic. Rushing a new technique at full speed is how small errors turn into bad habits.
Will this come up on my G2 or G road test?
Very likely, yes. Handling is scored throughout the test — steering smoothness, speed control, braking, and how you position the car. Examiners are not looking for perfection; they are looking for calm, planned control, and for mistakes to be small and corrected early.