When backing the driver should turn the steering wheel to the right in order to back to the left?

1

Índice Show

• Looking over your shoulder
• Using your mirrors
• Using a spotter or guide

After you seat yourself comfortably in your vehicle and adjust the headrest, seat, and mirrors to suit your height, you should also adjust the vehicle’s steering wheel. Most models allow drivers to move the steering column up or down by using a lever or handle located underneath the steering wheel. Some models also allow drivers to pull the wheel towards them or push it closer to the dashboard.

The top of the wheel should be lower than your shoulders, your arms are relaxedTake a few moments to ensure that all of the vehicle’s available adjustments are customized so that you are in a comfortable position before you begin to drive. You should be able to clearly see both side mirrors and the rearview mirror, rotate from side to side to check your blind spots, and have an unobstructed view through the windshield. As of 2019, federal law now requires that all passenger cars contain rear-view backup cameras to help prevent unwanted accidents. Even with camera-assisted backup, it’s still best to turn your body and look behind you and to both sides before going in reverse.

2

You may have heard the term "10 and 2 driving". This refers to the position in which you should hold your hands on the steering wheel (it is most often described in terms of how the placement of your hands relates to numbers on a clock). However, the technique for proper placement of your hands on the steering wheel has changed dramatically over the years. NHTSA now recommends the technique known as "9 and 3". Place your left hand on the left portion of the steering wheel in a location approximate to where the nine would be if the wheel was a clock. Your right hand should be placed on the right portion of the wheel where the three would be located. These recommendations are quite flexible, but keep in mind that10 and 2 o’clock is no longer recommended because it can be dangerous in vehicles with smaller steering wheels and equipped with airbags.

The “9 o’clock and 3 o’clock” position is recommended by NHTSAIt’s best to check your owner’s manual to determine what is the best position for your vehicle. Many people feel that their arms are comfortably aligned with their shoulders in the nine and three position. This technique keeps your hands in the proper position to use the push and pull method of turning the steering wheel.

3

As you steer your vehicle, you should never take either of your hands off of the steering wheel. The push and pull method of turning the steering wheel allows you to safely rotate the steering wheel while keeping both hands in contact. For example, if you are turning to the right, you will push the steering wheel in a clockwise motion with your left hand while simultaneously pulling the wheel in a clockwise motion with your right hand. Some drivers simply push the wheel with the hand opposite of the direction in which they are turning while allowing the other side of the wheel to slide through the loose grasp of the other hand. It is not acceptable to turn your steering wheel with only the palm of one hand or with your thumbs. The push and pull method should be used for every turn, every time you drive.

Push and pull method

Always check your mirrors and over your shoulder before reversing. If you can’t see behind your vehicle, walk around and check there are no obstructions – too many toddlers are killed and injured in driveway accidents each year due to vehicles reversing into them.

It's more difficult to control your vehicle when reversing than driving forwards, so you should never reverse for any more distance than is necessary.

There are three ways of reversing.

Looking over your shoulder

This may not work for a heavy vehicle as there are no quarterlights or rear window. Turn your head over your left shoulder. You can use your left arm to brace behind the passenger seat if you need to, but bear in mind this reduces your control of the wheel. You can unbuckle your seat belt only for reversing if you can't see well enough. 

Look into the distance through the rear window and you will be able to judge where you are heading. Bear in mind that for very narrow areas that this method might see you hit something with your wing mirror and therefore you should learn how to reverse using your wing mirrors, too.

Using your mirrors

Using your wing mirrors is more and more important because modern vehicles have smaller rear windows due to the rear pillars having a thicker construction to make them safer. This technique also is good if you have a stiff neck. If you are driving a heavy vehicle without a rear window, this will be your only technique unless you have a guide (see below).

Adjust your mirrors so that you can just see the side of your vehicle. You might want to angle them down a little for reversing if it's important that you see where your tyres are (this is useful when you are on, say, a slightly raised concrete driveway and you don't want your tyre to fall over the edge which could beach your vehicle on the concrete).

Take it slowly at first. Reversing using your mirrors is more complicated than reversing while looking backwards through the rear window. If you see obstacles getting close in your left mirror, turn the steering wheel slightly clockwise. Bear in mind that this will then direct the front of your vehicle towards the left edge (hence why only turning it slightly clockwise). If you see an obstacle in your right mirror then you will turn the wheel anti-clockwise.

As you are reversing you will need to keep checking the mirrors on both sides of the vehicle. Your mirrors won't cover your blind spots, so be careful.

Remember that you can always stop and get out to have a look if you're not sure. Traps for unwary drivers include raised concrete driveways where it's easy to drop a wheel off the edge and beach the car, roads where the gradient falls away, making it difficult to see out of the back window, and vegetation that constantly gives false readings on reversing sensors.

If you have a reversing camera and sensors, use them. There's more information about reversing cameras and sensors here. But you should never rely just on the reversing camera as they distort the perception of distance and often don't cover enough angle.

Using a spotter or guide

A spotter or guide is someone that can go around the back of your vehicle and help guide you. A guide should not be directing you from the front of the vehicle unless they are directing you into a parking space or onto a trailer whereby they can't stand behind you.