Steering seems simple enough—turn the wheel, and the car goes where you want it to. Yet mastering proper steering technique is one of the most fundamental skills you’ll develop as a learner driver. Good steering isn’t just about turning corners; it’s about maintaining control, positioning your vehicle accurately, and responding smoothly to changing road conditions.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about steering, from basic hand positioning to advanced techniques for adverse weather conditions.
Understanding Your Steering Wheel
Before we discuss technique, it’s important to understand what happens when you turn the steering wheel. Modern cars use power-assisted steering, which makes turning easier but can sometimes reduce the feedback you feel from the road. When you turn the wheel, you’re controlling the front wheels’ direction, and the car follows. The relationship isn’t always one-to-one—most cars require more than one full rotation of the wheel to achieve full lock (when the wheels are turned as far as they’ll go).
Proper Hand Position
The foundation of good steering begins with where you place your hands on the wheel. The traditional “ten-to-two” position (imagine the steering wheel as a clock face) has largely been replaced by the “nine-to-three” or “quarter-to-three” position. This lower hand placement offers several advantages: better leverage, reduced arm fatigue, and crucially, it’s safer if the airbag deploys.
Your grip should be firm but relaxed. Think of holding a small bird—secure enough that it won’t escape, but gentle enough not to harm it. Tense, white-knuckled gripping leads to jerky movements and tired arms. Your thumbs should rest naturally on the wheel’s rim or spokes, not hooked underneath where they could be injured if the wheel spins suddenly.
Keep your elbows slightly bent and your shoulders relaxed. You should be able to reach the full width of the wheel without leaning forward or stretching uncomfortably. If you can’t, adjust your seat position before you start driving.
The Push-Pull Steering Method
The push-pull technique, also called pull-push or hand-over-hand steering, is the method you’ll be expected to demonstrate during your driving test. It’s smooth, controlled, and keeps both hands on the wheel for maximum control throughout the manoeuvre.
Here’s how it works when turning left: Your right hand pulls the wheel down (from the three o’clock position towards six o’clock) whilst your left hand simultaneously slides up the wheel, maintaining light contact. When your right hand reaches roughly the five or six o’clock position, your left hand takes over and pushes the wheel upwards from nine o’clock. Your right hand then repositions at three o’clock, ready to pull again if more steering is needed. For right turns, the movements are mirrored—your left hand pulls down whilst your right hand slides.
The beauty of this method is that one hand is always in full control of the wheel. There’s no moment when both hands are repositioning, which maintains steady steering throughout the turn. It might feel awkward initially, especially if you’ve picked up habits from passengers or video games, but persist with it. The fluidity will come with practice.
Timing Your Turns
Knowing when to start turning the wheel is crucial for smooth, safe cornering. Turn too early, and you’ll cut the corner, potentially crossing into oncoming traffic or mounting the kerb. Turn too late, and you’ll swing wide, again risking collision or poor positioning.
For a standard left turn at a junction, begin steering as your car’s front wheels reach the point where the kerb starts to curve away. This is approximately when you’re level with the junction itself. As you turn, look through the turn to where you want to go—not at the kerb or the immediate road ahead. Your hands will naturally steer towards where your eyes are looking.
Right turns require earlier steering input because you’re crossing the road’s width. Begin turning once you’ve reached the centre of the junction (or the point where your instructor has told you to begin). Again, look through the corner towards your exit path.
The speed of your steering input should match your vehicle’s speed. Slower speeds require more steering lock and quicker hand movements; faster speeds need gentler, more gradual inputs. This is why you need to reduce speed appropriately before turning—it gives you time to steer smoothly rather than making sudden corrections.
Straightening Up After a Turn
Coming out of a corner properly is just as important as entering it. As you complete your turn and the road straightens, you need to return the wheel to its central position. The natural tendency of the wheel to self-centre (thanks to your car’s steering geometry) will help, but don’t simply let it spin through your hands—this is dangerous and you’ll have no control if you need to make adjustments.
Instead, use the reverse of your push-pull technique. As the corner finishes, guide the wheel back through your hands with controlled movements. Your hands should remain at the nine-and-three position as much as possible. Feel the wheel’s tendency to straighten, and work with it rather than against it. By the time your vehicle is straight, your wheel should be straight too, with your hands back in their starting position.
A common learner mistake is completing the turn but leaving the wheel slightly off-centre, causing the car to drift gradually across the lane. Always check your steering is straight after completing any manoeuvre.
What Is Oversteering?
Oversteering, in the context of learning to drive, means turning the wheel too much for the corner you’re negotiating. This causes your car to turn more sharply than needed, forcing you to make corrective movements. You might overshoot the turn, cross lane markings, or need to straighten up mid-corner before continuing. It’s a clear sign you haven’t yet calibrated your steering input to the road’s geometry.
Oversteering usually stems from either nervousness (gripping the wheel too tightly and making exaggerated movements) or entering the corner too slowly, which requires more steering lock than if you’d maintained appropriate speed. The solution is practice and building confidence in judging how much to turn the wheel for different types of corners.
Oversteer and Understeer: Vehicle Dynamics
These terms describe what happens when a car loses grip during cornering—important to understand even though you hopefully won’t experience them during normal learning.
Understeer occurs when the front tyres lose grip before the rears. You turn the wheel, but the car continues more straight ahead than you intended, running wide through the corner. It’s the most common loss of grip in front-wheel-drive cars and typically happens when entering a corner too fast or accelerating too hard whilst turning.
Oversteer happens when the rear tyres lose grip before the fronts. The back of the car steps out, and the vehicle rotates more than you intended—potentially spinning. This is more common in rear-wheel-drive or powerful cars, often caused by harsh acceleration mid-corner or sudden throttle lift-off.
If you experience understeer, the instinct is to turn the wheel more, but this rarely helps. Instead, ease off the accelerator gently to transfer weight to the front tyres and regain grip. For oversteer, reduce power and steer gently into the skid (turn the wheel towards the direction the rear is sliding). These are advanced recovery techniques, but awareness helps you avoid these situations in the first place by entering corners at appropriate speeds.
Steering in Adverse Weather
Weather conditions dramatically affect how your car responds to steering inputs. In adverse weather, the margin for error shrinks, and your steering needs to become gentler and more considered.
In rain, your tyres have less grip, and the car takes longer to respond to steering inputs. The water creates a thin film between your tyres and the road surface. Reduce your speed before corners more than usual, and make all steering movements smoother and more gradual. Avoid sudden jerks of the wheel, which could break traction. If you encounter standing water, grip the wheel firmly with both hands—if one front wheel hits a puddle, it can pull the steering to one side, and you need to be ready to hold the car straight.
In ice and snow, grip is minimal, and the rules amplify further. Your steering must be exceptionally gentle. Think of every movement as if you’re trying not to wake a sleeping baby—slow, smooth, deliberate. Turn earlier than usual with less steering lock, as sharp turns will simply cause the wheels to slide. If the car does slide, don’t panic and wrench the wheel—make small, gentle corrections. Keep your speed much lower than in dry conditions, giving yourself time to make these gentle steering inputs.
In strong winds, especially crosswinds, you’ll need to make constant small steering adjustments to hold your line. Grip the wheel firmly and be prepared for sudden gusts when passing gaps in hedges, buildings, or when being overtaken by large vehicles. These don’t require large steering movements—just steady, small corrections.
In fog, whilst fog doesn’t change your car’s grip, the reduced visibility means you discover corners later. This makes smooth, practised steering technique even more important, as you have less time to prepare. Reduce speed significantly to give yourself time to react and steer smoothly.
What Not to Do When Steering
Developing good habits early prevents dangerous techniques from becoming ingrained. Here are the most common steering mistakes learner drivers make:
Don’t cross your hands over. The old “hand-over-hand” technique, where one hand crosses over the other on the wheel, is no longer recommended. If the airbag deploys whilst your arms are crossed, you could be seriously injured. Stick with push-pull.
Don’t palm the wheel. Resting your palm on top of the wheel and pushing it around might seem easier, but it offers poor control and is dangerous. It’s called “palming” and it’s a particular problem when parking or manoeuvring at low speeds. Use the push-pull method even in car parks.
Don’t let the wheel slip through your hands. When straightening up, always guide the wheel—never let it spin freely through your palms or fingers. You lose control during those moments, and if you need to make a sudden adjustment, you can’t.
Don’t steer with one hand unnecessarily. Both hands should be on the wheel whenever possible. The only exceptions are when you’re briefly operating another control (gear stick, handbrake) or looking behind whilst reversing. Even then, return your second hand to the wheel as soon as possible.
Don’t look at the wheel. Your eyes should be on the road, looking well ahead to where you want to go. If you watch your hands or the wheel, you’ll steer where you’re looking—straight down at the tarmac in front of your bonnet—rather than following the road.
Don’t rest your hand on the gear stick. Whilst not directly about steering, this habit leaves you with only one hand available for steering. Rest both hands on the wheel whenever you’re not actively changing gear.
Don’t make sudden steering movements. Except in genuine emergencies, all steering should be smooth and progressive. Sudden jerks upset the car’s balance and can cause loss of control, especially at higher speeds or in poor conditions.
Don’t overcorrect. If the car drifts slightly from your intended position, make small corrections. Many learners make large steering inputs, overshoot, then correct back the other way, creating a weaving pattern. Small, smooth adjustments are always better.
What Examiners Look for During Your Test
During your driving test, your examiner will be assessing your steering throughout. They’re not expecting perfection, but they are looking for safe, controlled technique that demonstrates you’ve been taught properly.
The examiner wants to see that you’re using the push-pull method consistently, maintaining a nine-to-three hand position, and steering smoothly without jerking or sawing at the wheel. Your steering should be coordinated with your speed—entering corners at appropriate speeds that require reasonable steering inputs rather than heavy lock.
They’ll observe how you straighten up after turns, ensuring you’re guiding the wheel back rather than letting it slip. They’ll note whether you’re using both hands appropriately and whether your steering is making the car follow an accurate path through corners and along straights.
Poor lane positioning that results from inadequate steering will incur faults. Cutting corners, swinging wide into other lanes, or wandering within your lane all demonstrate steering issues. Similarly, if your steering causes other road users to slow, swerve, or take evasive action, this becomes a serious or dangerous fault.
Importantly, examiners understand that learner drivers may not be completely smooth all the time. A slightly jerky steering input won’t fail you. What will cause problems is consistently poor technique, dangerous positioning, or steering that puts you or others at risk.
Developing Your Steering Skills
Like any skill, good steering develops through practice. In your early lessons, steering will take conscious thought—you’ll be actively thinking about where your hands are and which way to pull the wheel. This is normal. With experience, steering becomes automatic, allowing you to focus your conscious attention on observation, planning, and decision-making.
Practice the push-pull method on every journey, even when it feels slower or more awkward than other techniques. The muscle memory you build now will serve you throughout your driving life. Ask your instructor for feedback specifically about your steering—don’t wait for them to bring it up.
If possible, find a quiet car park (with permission) where you can practice steering at low speeds. Set up some markers and practice turning around them, focusing on smooth hand movements and accurate positioning. This low-stakes environment lets you experiment and build confidence without the pressure of traffic.
Remember that different vehicles have different steering characteristics. The car you learn in may have lighter or heavier steering than your family car, or require more or fewer turns to go from lock to lock. Don’t let this confuse you—the principles of good steering technique remain the same regardless of the vehicle.
Conclusion
Mastering steering is a journey rather than a destination. Even experienced drivers continue to refine their technique throughout their driving lives. The fundamentals covered in this guide—proper hand position, smooth push-pull technique, appropriate timing, and gentle inputs in adverse conditions—will serve you well from your very first lesson through decades of safe driving.
Be patient with yourself as you develop these skills. Your early attempts at push-pull steering might feel mechanical and awkward. Your first few corner entries might require corrections. Your hands might not always land in exactly the right position. This is all part of learning. With practice and concentration, the movements become fluid, natural, and automatic.
Focus on building good habits now, even when they feel slower or more complicated than alternatives. The time you invest in proper technique during your learning phase will repay itself many times over in safety, control, and confidence throughout your driving life. Good steering isn’t just about passing your test—it’s about having the skills to handle your vehicle safely in all conditions for years to come.
