Steering — Kansas Permit Test

The steering wheel is always turned in the direction you want the vehicle to move, whether moving forward or in reverse.

Reverse feels backwards but the rule does not change. Turn the wheel toward where the car should go.

The steering wheel is always turned in the direction you want the vehicle to move, whether moving forward or in reverse.

Both of a Kansas driver's hands should be placed on the outside of the steering wheel on opposite sides, using the fingers rather than the palms, with thumbs up along the face of the wheel.

Thumbs hooked inside the rim get broken when a wheel kicks. Along the face they stay clear.

keep your thumbs up along the face of the steering wheel.

A Kansas driver should never turn the wheel while gripping it from the inside of the rim.

An air bag opening throws that arm into your own face. It is also the grip that breaks wrists.

Never turn the wheel while gripping it from the inside of the rim.

Kansas hand-to-hand steering, also called push/pull steering, is used when turning the wheel during normal driving above 10 to 15 mph, with the left hand between 7 and 8 o'clock and the right between 4 and 5 o'clock.

Low hands keep the arms out of the air bag's path. It is the method the state prefers for that reason.

When using hand-to-hand steering your left hand grasps the wheel between 7 and 8 o’clock and your right hand grasps the wheel between 4 and 5 o’clock.

Hand-to-hand steering is the preferred Kansas method, and 2 and 10 o'clock is not recommended because it can be dangerous in vehicles equipped with air bags.

The old high grip puts both arms across the bag. When it fires it drives your hands into your face.

This is the preferred method of steering, 2 and 10 o’clock is not recommended because it can be dangerous in vehicles equipped with air bags.

Because a Kansas driver's hands and arms never cross over the wheel in hand-to-hand steering, there is less chance of injury to the face, hands and arms in a frontal crash with a driver side air bag.

The bag comes out of the middle of the wheel. Whatever is over it gets thrown at you.

Since your hands and arms never cross over the steering wheel, there is less chance of injury to the face, hands, and arms in the event of a frontal crash when a vehicle is equipped with a driver side air bag.

Kansas hand-over-hand steering is used when turning the wheel at low speeds, such as at an intersection or when parking.

At walking pace the wheel needs a lot of turning quickly. This is the method that gets it round.

Use hand-over-hand steering when turning the wheel at low speeds, such as at an intersection or when parking the vehicle.

In Kansas evasive action steering it is critical to limit steering to not more than 180 degrees, because more input causes traction loss and the vehicle often moves across the roadway into oncoming vehicles.

Panic makes people spin the wheel. Half a turn is all it takes, and more sends you into the other lane.

It is critical to limit the steering to not more than 180 degrees of steering when trying to evade a problem on the roadway.

Modern vehicles only take 45 to 90 degrees of steering to move a vehicle back on the road after an off-road encounter.

Dropping a wheel off the pavement feels like a crisis. It takes a small correction, not a big one.

Modern vehicles only take 45 to 90 degrees of steering to move a vehicle back on the road after an off-road encounter.

Kansas one hand steering is used only when backing or operating vehicle controls such as wipers, flashers and lights that require a temporary reach from the wheel.

One hand is for the moment you must reach. It is not a way to drive along.

Use one hand steering only when backing or operating vehicle controls (wipers, flashers, lights, etc.) that require a temporary reach from the steering wheel.

The only time 12 o'clock is recommended in Kansas is when backing a vehicle to the left or right and the driver must turn in the seat to see the path of travel to the rear.

Turning to look means one hand has to hold the wheel alone. The top of the wheel is where it can.

The only time that 12 o’clock is recommended is when backing a vehicle to the left or right and the driver must turn in the seat in order to see the path of travel to the rear.

Which way is the steering wheel turned when reversing?

In the direction you want the vehicle to move. Reverse feels backwards but the rule does not change. Turn the wheel toward where the car should go. Kansas Driving Handbook, p.30: “The steering wheel is always turned in the direction you want the vehicle to move, whether moving forward or in reverse.”