Depending how long ago you took driver's ed, you might recall being instructed to hold the steering wheel in a "10 and 2" position, just like the hands on a clock. Thanks to airbags and changes in steering technology, that's no longer the recommended position. Now, traffic safety officials say drivers should hold the wheel at a "9 and 3" position instead.
A lot of driving instructors as well as AAA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration now say you should grip the wheel at 9 and 3 o'clock. A few go even further, suggesting 8 and 4 to avoid the airbag mechanism as much as possible, but what formal research has been published on the varieties of hand positions suggests that this may lessen your control of the car. Many drivers do not heed any of the recommended positions as they cruise down a freeway. Some prefer the "10-and-a-drink position" or the "1 o'clock only hold".
The 10-2 position was taught for so long because the higher grip enables a driver to keep the car running smoothly without needing to jerk the wheel suddenly if he is cut off or there is a hazard in the road. But doing it the old way could risk serious injuries to a driver's hands or fingers if the airbag activates.