Can I be fined for driving with one hand on the wheel?

ENSURING vehicle control is paramount for road safety and adherence to driving regulations.

One important aspect of maintaining control is the proper handling of the steering wheel.

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Can I be fined for driving with one hand on the wheel?

While driving with one hand on the steering wheel isn’t explicitly illegal, you can still be fined if a police officer believes you are not in proper control of your vehicle due to doing so.

According to rule 160 of the Highway Code, you should “drive or ride with both hands on the wheel or handlebars where possible”.

It adds: “This will help you to remain in full control of the vehicle at all times.

“You may use driver assistance systems while you are driving.

“Make sure you use any system according to the manufacturer’s instructions.”

The rule states “you should” rather than “you must”.

Rules that begin with “you must” are a legal requirement.

According to the Government, “many of the rules in the Code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence.

“You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving.

“In the most serious cases you may be sent to prison.”

Violating rules that begin with “you should/should not” is not an automatic criminal offence.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be fined if you’re found to have broken one of the 307 regulations.

Even taking off a hand to make a simple “thank you” gesture could land you with a fine.

If it is shown that driving with one hand led to dangerous driving or an accident, you could face a substantial fine, penalty points, or even prosecution.

In severe cases, this could also result in disqualification from driving.

Not having proper control of the steering is in the top ten reasons for failing a driving test.

Graham O'Brien, DVSA's Assistant Chief Driving Examiner

Will I fail for using one hand during my driving test?

No, you will not automatically fail your driving test for using one hand on the steering wheel as long as you maintain full control of the vehicle at all times.

However, it is generally recommended to keep both hands on the wheel unless necessary to operate another control.

Nobody wants to fail, and you could have to wait a month before taking a test again under new plans.

The DVSA’s national standard for driving cars and lightweight vans doesn’t clearly stipulate two hands at all times, but simply says that drivers must “hold and control the steering wheel” and know “how to keep safe control” of it.

This is their guidance:

Element 2.2.4: Steer the vehicle safely

Performance standards

You must be able to:

• steer the vehicle safely and responsibly in all road and traffic conditions
• hold and control the steering wheel to steer the vehicle accurately and safely
• continue to steer the vehicle safely and responsibly while operating other controls

Knowledge and understanding requirements

You must know and understand:

• how to keep safe control of the steering wheel
• the effect that the vehicle’s turning circle has on steering the vehicle

This guidance ensures that while the emphasis is on effective vehicle control, the specific hand positions are less rigid, allowing for flexibility as long as safety is maintained.

Graham O’Brien, DVSA’s Assistant Chief Driving Examiner told The Sun: “Not having proper control of the steering is in the top ten reasons for failing a driving test.”

What is the correct way to hold the steering wheel?

The recommended way to hold the steering wheel is to use the 9 and 3 or 8 and 4 positions.

For the 9 and 3 position, you need to place your left hand at the 9 o’clock position and your right hand at the 3 o’clock position on the steering wheel.

This position provides good control and reduces the risk of injury in the event of an airbag deployment.

The 8 and 4 position is slightly more relaxed and can be comfortable for some drivers, but it’s less commonly recommended than the 9 and 3 position.

You need to place your left hand at the 8 o’clock position and your right hand at the 4 o’clock position.

Both positions help ensure you can control the vehicle effectively while keeping your hands away from the airbag deployment area.

It’s important to keep both hands on the wheel to maintain full control of the vehicle, particularly during maneuvers or when driving in challenging conditions.

O’Brien said: “The correct way to steer, and the best way to increase the chance of passing the driving test, is to have both hands on the steering wheel to optimise safety and control.”

He added that both hands should be on the steering wheel “unless one hand is performing another critical task, such as changing gear or operating the indicators.”