Which one is the accelerator in an automatic transmission car?
2 Answers
In an automatic transmission car, the accelerator is located on the far right, with the brake pedal to its left. This design is due to the higher frequency of accelerator usage, positioning it on the outer side of the right foot for a more comfortable posture. The brake is placed on the inner side of the right foot, and the brake pedal is slightly higher than the accelerator pedal to facilitate quick reactions from the driver. When pressing the accelerator or brake, the body needs support to maintain balance. While the right foot operates the pedals, the left foot can stabilize the body on the floor. If both feet were placed on the brake and accelerator separately, they would both be in a semi-suspended state without a stable point of support, which could easily lead to unstable operation of either pedal.
When I first started driving an automatic car, I was a bit flustered and couldn't tell which pedal was the accelerator. The instructor always said the accelerator is the pedal on the right, the right one! Never mistake it for the brake on the left. The left foot should stay obediently on the footrest and not move around, while the right foot handles everything. Automatic cars are so convenient—just press the accelerator to speed up, unlike manual cars where you have to shift gears. I made a mistake when I first started practicing: I accidentally pressed the brake instead of the accelerator while reversing and almost hit a wall, but luckily I reacted quickly and stopped in time. Later, I developed a habit of glancing at the pedal positions before driving, remembering that the right one speeds up and the left one slows down. Safety hinges on this—if you press the wrong pedal in a panic, an accident could happen. With more practice, I don't even blink now—my right foot naturally slides to the right pedal, the accelerator, for smooth acceleration and steady starts. Every time I drive, I remind myself: the accelerator is always the pedal on the right.
