Should You Press the Brake When Starting an Automatic Transmission Car?
3 Answers
Automatic transmission cars require pressing the brake when shifting gears. Below is a partial introduction to automatic transmissions: 1. Introduction: As the name suggests, an automatic transmission does not require the driver to manually shift gears. The vehicle will automatically select the appropriate gear based on the driving speed and traffic conditions. 2. Gears: Generally, automatic transmission cars have six gear positions, from top to bottom: P, R, N, D, S, L. Driving an automatic transmission car using only the parking gear P, reverse gear R, neutral gear N, and drive gear D can fully meet the needs of general driving.
When driving an automatic transmission car, I always press the brake before starting the engine. This is a fundamental safety operation to prevent the car from moving unexpectedly during startup. My habitual procedure is: sit in the driver's seat, adjust the seat and mirrors, firmly press the brake pedal with my right foot, then turn the key or press the start button, and only release the handbrake and shift to D gear after the engine runs smoothly. Without pressing the brake, many cars simply won't start—this is a design safeguard to prevent the engine from suddenly operating when the transmission isn't in P or N gear. Related to this is parking location selection. On slopes or in tight garage spaces, pressing the brake to start is especially crucial, as forgetting to engage the handbrake could cause the car to roll and collide during startup. As a frequent driver, I believe this detail can't be overlooked—safety first. Once it becomes a habit, the operation feels natural every time, reducing the risk of accidents.
When I first started learning to drive an automatic car, I often forgot to press the brake when starting the engine. There was one incident in the parking lot where I nearly got into trouble, but the instructor stopped me in time. Now, the first thing I do when getting in the car is to press the brake to start the engine—it's become second nature. The procedure is actually simple: press the brake pedal with your right foot, push the start button, and after hearing the engine sound, proceed with the next steps. Beginners tend to get nervous and overlook this. I recommend practicing the starting sequence more—pressing the brake while starting helps prevent accidental throttle presses when moving off, reducing the risk of rear-end collisions or other accidents. This is also related to psychological adjustment for beginners. Early on, it's easy to get distracted by details like adjusting mirrors or setting the air conditioning, but one of the core safety points is this brake-press start—don’t underestimate it. Once you develop the habit, driving becomes smoother, and unnecessary troubles are avoided.
