How to Drive an Automatic Car for Beginners
2 Answers
Place the gear lever in the P (Park) or N (Neutral) position, and engage the parking brake or depress the brake pedal. When starting, first press the brake pedal. Shift to D (Drive) gear, release the parking brake, and smoothly release the brake pedal. After the car starts moving slowly, gradually press the accelerator pedal.
When I first learned automatic transmission, I started from scratch too. It's actually much simpler than manual. Step one: always press the brake firmly before ignition - that's the safety baseline. After the dashboard lights up, don't rush to move; confirm the gear is in P (Park). To start moving, keep your right foot on the brake, shift the lever to D (Drive), then gradually release the brake to let the car creep forward before gently pressing the accelerator for smooth acceleration. At red lights, switch to N (Neutral) to reduce transmission strain; for prolonged stops, always use P (Park) with the handbrake. When reversing, come to a complete stop before shifting to R (Reverse), and turning to look through the rear window is safest. The biggest fear with beginners is pedal confusion - develop the habit of keeping your heel planted and angling your foot for the brake to avoid accidental acceleration. Oh, and never coast in neutral - it damages the transmission and is dangerous!
