Should You Shift Gear or Release the Handbrake First When Starting a Car?
3 Answers
When starting a car, you should first shift into gear and then release the handbrake. Before starting the car, ensure you fasten your seatbelt, adjust your seat, quickly press the clutch pedal to the floor, and honk the horn with your left hand. Slowly lift the clutch pedal with your left foot until it reaches the semi-engaged position. The following are precautions for starting a car: Get into the car, fasten your seatbelt, and adjust your seat. Quickly press the clutch pedal to the floor and shift into first gear. Turn on the left turn signal, check the surroundings (both side mirrors), and release the handbrake. Quickly lift the clutch pedal to the semi-engaged position, pause slightly, then slowly release the clutch while gently pressing the accelerator pedal to ensure a smooth start. Precautions for starting a manual transmission car on a flat road: Shift into first gear with your right hand and turn on the left turn signal with your right hand. Honk the horn with your left hand. Slowly lift the clutch pedal with your left foot to the semi-engaged position while gradually releasing the parking brake lever with your right hand and gently pressing the accelerator pedal with your right foot. Observe the car's movement: if it starts to shake, press the accelerator promptly; if it starts to roll, release the parking brake pedal promptly. Listen carefully to the engine sound—if it becomes lower, press the accelerator or release the parking brake pedal promptly; if the engine sound becomes higher, reduce the throttle or lift the clutch pedal promptly. Release the clutch pedal with your left foot after the car has moved 3-4 meters. Once the car reaches normal speed with your right foot pressing the accelerator, merge into the normal lane and turn off the turn signal.
Having driven for decades, I've learned that starting a car must follow a safety sequence. For automatic transmission vehicles, the gear must be in P position before ignition. After starting the engine, I immediately press the brake pedal firmly before releasing the handbrake—if it was engaged during parking. Why? Because shifting gears without releasing the handbrake may cause the car to remain stationary or trigger warning lights, potentially damaging the brake system in severe cases. Releasing the handbrake before shifting eliminates this issue. Novices often make the mistake of shifting first, risking unintended vehicle movement; I did this in my youth and nearly rear-ended another car. With practice, the startup routine becomes second nature: start the engine in a secure position, disengage parking brake, then shift to drive. Safe driving is built on attention to detail.
Young drivers prefer simplicity, so with modern automatic transmissions, I don't touch the gear shift immediately after starting the engine; the gear must be in P when starting. After starting, I firmly press the brake pedal and release the electronic parking brake button—my new car has this feature, just one press does it. Only then do I move the gear selector to D to set off. This sequence avoids system warnings, as the new car's computer monitors everything; shifting directly without releasing the parking brake not only prevents the car from moving but might also wear out components. Remote start is even cooler—just one button does it all—but the core is the safety procedure: start the engine to stabilize the car, release the braking force, then shift and go. I've tried reversing the sequence and got beeping alarms, so now I've developed muscle memory to complete the operation in just one second.
