How to Operate an Automatic Transmission Car at Traffic Lights?

[LeAyla]

Here are the specific operations for an automatic transmission car at traffic lights: 1. If stopping for about ten seconds at a traffic light, simply keep your foot on the brake. When the light turns green, lift your foot to start moving. 2. If waiting for two to three minutes at a traffic light, press the brake, shift to N (neutral), and then engage the handbrake. When the light turns green, follow these steps: "Press the brake - Release the handbrake - Shift to D (drive) - Release the foot brake to start." 3. Do not shift to P (park) when waiting at a red light in an automatic transmission car. The P gear is essentially the same as neutral but includes an additional mechanism to lock the output shaft. If you shift to P at a red light and get rear-ended by a following vehicle that fails to react in time, the locking mechanism could be damaged, and in severe cases, the transmission might be ruined.

[JustinDella]

When waiting at a red light, I usually keep my foot on the brake and stay in D gear. This is the most worry-free approach as it prevents the car from rolling backward. As soon as the light turns green, releasing the brake allows immediate movement, which is especially suitable for beginners. If the red light is particularly long, lasting over a minute or so, I shift to N gear and engage the electronic parking brake to give my right foot a rest. This is also better for the transmission since keeping the brake pressed in D gear keeps the powertrain under tension, causing the transmission to generate extra heat over time—similar to idling the engine, which wastes fuel. However, never shift to P gear; if rear-ended, the entire transmission could be destroyed. Nowadays, many new cars come with auto start-stop functionality: pressing the brake firmly shuts off the engine, and releasing it automatically restarts, saving fuel and being eco-friendly. However, frequent starts may affect the battery's lifespan, so I turn it off in heavy traffic.

[VonCamille]

The operation of waiting at a red light requires a balance between efficiency and safety. When driving an automatic transmission, I usually keep it in D gear and press the brake, which allows for the quickest start, especially when facing a green light countdown of only a few seconds. For particularly long red lights, such as intersections with waits exceeding two minutes, I shift to N gear and engage the handbrake to relax my foot—this approach is more reasonable. It avoids overheating the transmission and wearing out the power components while also giving the leg muscles a rest. In fact, you can judge by looking at the dashboard: if the tachometer slightly fluctuates while braking in D gear, it means the engine is exerting effort to output power. Additionally, be cautious with older chassis vehicles; if the brake is pressed for too long and the hydraulic lines are aged, the brake fluid may overheat and reduce braking efficiency. Overall, D gear is convenient for short stops, while N gear plus the handbrake is better for longer waits.

[ElijahRose]

My experience is simple: if the red light doesn't last more than 30 seconds, I keep the brake pressed and stay in D gear. When the light turns green, I just release the foot and go smoothly. But if the red light lasts more than a minute, I shift to N gear and engage the electronic handbrake or step on the foot brake, so my right foot doesn't have to stay tense and it also protects the transmission. Remember never to shift to P gear at an intersection. Last time, my friend's car was rear-ended because he shifted to P gear and the transmission lock mechanism was damaged, costing over 8,000 to repair. Now my new car has auto start-stop. As long as I press the brake deeply, the engine stops by itself and saves fuel. However, it's more comfortable to turn off this function when it's raining or when the air conditioning is on.