How long should the engine be turned off in traffic jams

[FernandoAnn]

Whether to turn off the engine in traffic jams generally depends on the duration. It's recommended to turn off the engine if the wait exceeds five minutes. Reasons for turning off the engine during prolonged traffic jams: Turning off the engine can save fuel. During traffic jams, drivers often feel impatient. Once the traffic eases, some may accelerate abruptly. It's advised not to rush when starting, as aggressive acceleration not only harms the vehicle but also wastes fuel. Ensure smooth movement when starting and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead during traffic jams. Reasons for keeping the engine running during short traffic jams: For brief stops of one or two minutes, it's unnecessary to turn off the engine. Since the vehicle may need to move at any moment, restarting after turning off the engine is equivalent to adding startup steps, which can easily lead to waiting and honking from vehicles behind, reducing road efficiency. For short-term traffic jams, manual transmission vehicles should shift to neutral and engage the handbrake, while automatic transmission cars should shift to N gear and engage the handbrake.