Is It Safe to Shift to Neutral Before Reaching a Traffic Light?
2 Answers
For safety reasons, it is not advisable to shift to neutral before reaching a traffic light. In case of an unexpected situation, you may not have enough time to react, which could lead to an accident. Here are some driving tips: 1. Gear shifting: For manual transmission vehicles, shift gears based on the engine RPM. Generally, the optimal time to shift gears is between 2000 and 2500 RPM. Shifting at higher RPMs will increase fuel consumption. Additionally, shifting based on speed is also a good practice. 2. Observe when changing lanes: When changing lanes, check the rearview mirror on the driver's side to ensure there are no vehicles behind you. Always yield to vehicles behind you to avoid traffic accidents.
Back when I drove a taxi, the veteran drivers taught me never to coast in neutral before a red light—it's a dangerously bad habit. In neutral, the wheels are completely disconnected from the engine, leaving braking entirely reliant on brake pad friction, which can easily lead to skidding or loss of control in wet conditions. Last year, I witnessed a rear-end collision caused by coasting in neutral—the braking distance increased by over two meters. Besides, modern fuel-injected cars actually consume more fuel in neutral, as the ECU cuts fuel supply during deceleration in gear. Auto repair shop owner Lao Wang warns that coasting in neutral in automatics starves the transmission oil pump of pressure, inevitably damaging the valve body over time. Now at red lights, I keep my foot on the brake in D mode—safer, worry-free, and protects the transmission.
