Should You Shift to Neutral or Engage the Handbrake First After Parking?

[AdalineDella]

After parking, you should engage the handbrake first before shifting to neutral. Below is the correct parking sequence: 1. Pull over: Stop the vehicle by the roadside, shift the transmission into neutral, and then engage the handbrake. Shifting to neutral prevents accidental throttle input. Once in neutral, even if the accelerator pedal is pressed, the vehicle won't surge forward. 2. Turn off the engine: Depress the clutch, shift into 1st gear, and then exit the vehicle. This step is actually a precaution against forgetting to engage the handbrake. 3. Prevent accidents: If the gear is left in neutral and the driver forgets to engage the handbrake, the vehicle may roll, leading to safety hazards. After shifting into 1st gear, even if the handbrake is forgotten, the vehicle generally won't roll on its own. This is an added safety measure.