Holding the Wheel

Unless a person has a physical disability and cannot do otherwise, that lazy one hand on top or bottom of the steering wheel is a public advertisement of lack of understanding.

In advanced driving schools, the one-handers struggle with each exercise until they learn proper wheel handling habits. It has to be learned. There are no phone booths handy where someone can transform instantly from sloppy to Superdriver. Under stress we revert to our dominant habits, so we should make sure they are good ones.

Think of it as the left hand sensing what the left front wheel is doing, while the right hand takes care of the other side. With one hand on top of the wheel, there isn't much feedback from the car at all, at least until the airbag deploys.