What gear should an automatic car be in when waiting at a red light?
2 Answers
There are two methods for an automatic car when waiting at a red light: shifting to neutral and applying the handbrake, or staying in D gear while stepping on the brake. Here are the correct methods for shifting gears in an automatic car: 1. Shifting to neutral and applying the handbrake is suitable when the light has just turned red or the remaining time is long. Shifting to neutral cuts off the engine power, and applying the handbrake prevents the car from moving, allowing you to free your right foot from constantly pressing the brake. 2. Staying in D gear while stepping on the brake is suitable when the red light has only about ten seconds left or in stop-and-go traffic. This allows for a timely start without frequent gear changes. 3. Do not shift to P gear when waiting at a red light in an automatic car. The P gear in an automatic car is essentially the same as neutral but includes an additional mechanism to lock the output shaft. If you shift to P gear while waiting at a red light and the car behind fails to react in time, causing a rear-end collision, this locking mechanism could be damaged. In severe cases, it could even lead to the transmission being ruined.
I've given a lot of thought to waiting at red lights while driving and concluded that shifting to neutral (N gear) and engaging the handbrake is the most reliable approach. When an automatic transmission car is in drive (D gear) with the brake pedal pressed, the engine and transmission remain connected, wasting fuel and causing unnecessary wear on components. From my experience, prolonged driving like this can increase fuel consumption by about 5%, which isn't good for the car. For short red lights under 30 seconds, staying in D gear with the brake pressed is fine for convenience. But for longer red lights exceeding 30 seconds, I shift to neutral and firmly apply the handbrake to prevent rolling. For vehicles with auto start-stop systems, it's generally better not to shift to neutral when the system is active as it might cause malfunctions, though doing so would save more fuel. Safety should always come first, and developing good habits benefits all aspects of driving.
