Should You Shift Gears or Release the Handbrake First When Parking?

[RebeccaMarie]

When parking, you should first engage the handbrake and then shift to neutral. When starting the car, you should first shift into gear and then release the handbrake. This sequence is primarily for safety considerations, as vehicles are prone to rolling on slopes. Additionally, it helps prevent incorrect gear selection, which could lead to loss of control or rolling backward. The parking brake, also known as the handbrake in automatic transmissions, provides resistance to prevent the car from rolling when parked. High-end vehicles are increasingly adopting electronically controlled parking systems, commonly referred to as electronic handbrakes. These systems use electronic controls to achieve parking brake functionality, operating on the same principle as mechanical handbrakes—both rely on friction between the brake disc and brake pads to control parking. The only difference is that the control mechanism has evolved from a mechanical handbrake lever to an electronic button.