What Gear Should an Automatic Transmission Be in When Waiting at a Red Light?

[VonChase]

If the waiting time is longer than 40 seconds, shift to N (Neutral) and engage the handbrake. For waits shorter than 40 seconds, simply keep the gear in D (Drive) while braking. Here are some guidelines for automatic transmission gear selection: 1. If the red light is particularly long, it's advisable to shift to P (Park). For shorter waits, you can shift to N (Neutral) and apply the brake, depending on the situation. 2. Automatic transmission vehicles typically use a hydraulic transmission system instead of the mechanical clutch found in manual transmission vehicles, hence there is no clutch pedal. When the engine speed is low, the torque transmitted by the fluid is limited and insufficient to move the vehicle forward. When the gear selector is placed in D (Drive) and the brake pedal is released, increasing the throttle and engine speed raises the transmitted torque, enabling the vehicle to move forward.