A 3-minute lesson from the South Dakota course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Good habits start before the car moves: a set routine for starting the engine, smooth acceleration, and a hand position that works with your air bag instead of against it.
Starting the engine:
Right foot on the brake pedal
Gear selector in park
Parking brake on
Key in the ignition, turned to on
Check indicator lights and gauges (fuel level, ABS, air bags)
Manual transmission: not in gear (some vehicles need the clutch pressed)
Starting too fast can make the drive wheels spin, especially on slippery surfaces, and the vehicle can slide. With a manual shift, practice so the engine doesn't over-rev or stall.
Always turn the steering wheel in the direction you want the vehicle to move, forward or in reverse. Look well down the road and to both sides, not just at the road in front of you.
Grip firmly but gently with your fingers, not your palms, thumbs up along the face of the wheel. Never turn the wheel while gripping it from the inside.
You're pulling away from the curb on a snowy morning. Signal, check traffic behind and beside you, then press the accelerator gently. Flooring it would spin the wheels and could slide the car.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
Where should your hands be placed on the steering wheel for the best control?
One hand at 12 o'clock only
At the 2 and 10 o'clock positions
At the 12 and 6 o'clock positions
At the 3 and 9 o'clock positions
Answer: At the 3 and 9 o'clock positions
Hands should be placed at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions; 2 and 10 is no longer recommended due to air bag risks.