When starting a car, should you release the handbrake first or shift into gear first?
3 Answers
When starting a car, you should first shift into gear and then release the handbrake, mainly for safety reasons. This is because when starting, you may not know if the ground is level. If the ground is sloped and you release the handbrake first, the car will be in a neutral coasting state, causing the vehicle to roll in the direction of the slope without any braking, which can easily lead to a safety accident. The sequence when parking is the opposite of starting. When parking, you should first engage the handbrake and then shift into neutral. This ensures the vehicle does not move to the greatest extent possible. This is because many people are accustomed to releasing the clutch and brake after shifting into neutral. If the gear is not correctly shifted into neutral or the parking spot is on a slope, the vehicle may move. However, for automatic transmission cars, when parking, you can directly shift into P (Park) and then engage the handbrake.
I've been driving manual transmission cars for nearly twenty years, and I've developed the habit of shifting into gear before releasing the handbrake when starting. Specifically, I press the clutch pedal to shift into first gear, so the engine's power is ready to drive the wheels, and then gradually release the handbrake. If you do the opposite—release the handbrake before shifting into gear—the car is prone to rolling, especially on slopes or when starting at traffic lights. As soon as you release the brake, the car might slide backward, potentially hitting the vehicle or pedestrian behind. I remember once on an uphill slope, a novice friend released the handbrake first, and the car rolled back half a meter, nearly causing an accident. So, safety comes first—developing this sequence helps prevent accidents. It's similar for automatic transmission cars: shift into D or drive mode before releasing the handbrake.
When I first started learning to drive, I didn't pay attention to this sequence and often released the handbrake before shifting gears. As a result, I kept rolling back during slope practice at the driving school, and the instructor scolded me harshly. He said the correct approach is to first engage first gear with the clutch pedal depressed, ensuring the engine gears are properly engaged, then gradually release the handbrake. This way, the car starts smoothly and safely. Later, when I drove on my own, I always followed this sequence, especially on rainy days or uneven roads - its anti-rollback effect was very noticeable, and it also prevented premature clutch wear. Developing this good habit saved me a lot of trouble. Now even when driving automatic transmission cars, I make it a priority to shift gears before releasing the handbrake, and the operation feels much smoother.
