How to Drive an Automatic Car

Cars with automatic transmissions are popular with both newbies and seasoned drivers, as automatics are easier to operate than manual transmissions and are more comfortable on long drives. The simple steps below will guide you through operating an automatic transmission vehicle, but be careful: before using any means of transport, make sure you have a valid driver’s license and are familiar with the laws. local traffic rates.

Table of Contents

Prepare to drive

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Get in the car. Unlock with an electronic key or a mechanical key and sit in the driver’s seat.

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Adjust the seat to suit your needs. Move the seat in any direction possible or as necessary so that you can comfortably reach all vehicle controls and see out of the window. Adjust the rearview mirror to see clearly behind and to the sides of the vehicle. ^{[1] X Research Source} Identify your vehicle’s blind spots before you drive so you can check them before turning or changing lanes.

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Define vehicle control functions. Before driving, you need to find the position of the accelerator, brake pedal, steering wheel, gear lever, buttons to adjust lights and defrost on the glass, as well as wipers. ^{[2] X Research Source}

The brake and accelerator are in front of where you put your foot, the left brake and the right accelerator.
The steering wheel is the large steering wheel located in the center of the cockpit. Turn the steering wheel left or right to tilt the wheel in the direction you want.
The turn signal control lever is located on the steering column (usually located to the left of the pillar) with the default position in the middle, two fixed positions above and below. To turn the lights on and off, you need to find the button on the console to the left of the steering wheel, or the knob on a joystick on the steering column.
You can find the gear lever in one of two places: to the right on the steering column, or between the driver and front passenger seats. The gear lever comes with a number display, usually with the letters “P”, “R”, “N”, “D” and a few digits. If the gear lever is on the steering column, the number plate will be on the center console and below the speedometer.

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Fasten seat belt. Make sure you and all passengers in the vehicle wear seat belts at all times.

Operating the vehicle in “Drive” mode

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Start the car. Put your right foot on the brake pedal and press down, insert the key and turn the lock clockwise to start the car.

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Select vehicle number. Keep your foot on the brake pedal and put the gear lever into “Drive” mode. This mode corresponds to the letter “D” on the number display, which will light up when you select the correct number. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

For vehicles with a gear lever on the steering column, pull the gear lever toward you before shifting up and down to select gear.
In vehicles with a gear lever between the two front seats, there is usually a button on the shift lever to unlock the lever. Once unlocked, you can move the gear lever to the desired position.

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Release the parking brake. The parking brake can be a lever between the two front seats (handbrake) or a pedal to the left of the footrest. Before you release the brake, you may have to pull the release lever above the pedal, or press the brake release button on the handbrake.

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Check around. Look around the vehicle and also in blind spots to check for obstacles or moving objects near the vehicle. Make sure your eyes are focused primarily on the direction of the vehicle’s movement.

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Vehicle movement. Slowly release the pressure from the brake pedal and the vehicle will gradually move. Lift your foot off the brake pedal, use this foot to gently press the accelerator to make the car move faster. When driving normally, you don’t need to change gears to change speed.

Driving in other gears

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Back car. If you need to reverse the vehicle, make sure the vehicle has come to a complete stop before reversing or shifting out of reverse gear. Shift the gear lever to select “R”, check behind/around the vehicle for any obstacles. Slowly lift your foot off the brake and place it on the accelerator.

When changing direction while reversing, the car will still move in the direction you turn the steering wheel. You are backing up, so the rear of the car will move in the direction of the steering wheel instead of the front. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Use the “Neutral” number (the “mo” number). The “Neutral” gear should only be used when you do not need to control the vehicle speed, not in normal driving. Some use cases of this number are when you are stopping briefly on the road or when the vehicle is being pushed/towed away. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Use a lower number. The numbers “1”, “2”, “3” are low numbers. These numbers can be used as the engine’s braking system, when you want to reduce the pressure on the brake pedal. These numbers are useful when the vehicle is going down a deep slope. However, you should only use 1 when you have to go very slowly. You do not need to stop the vehicle when changing from these gears to “Drive” and vice versa.

Advice

Always look in the mirror while driving.
Watch out for accidents while driving and pay attention to your surroundings when driving any vehicle.
Do not use one foot to press the brake and the other foot to press the accelerator. Use your right foot for both and leave your left foot on the floor.
Gently and slowly press on both the accelerator and brake pedals.
Always pay attention to traffic signals.
Avoid pressing the accelerator pedal continuously if you want to optimize the vehicle’s fuel consumption. This helps keep torque pressure low.

Warning

Always focus on the road; Do not use mobile phones while driving.
Obey local traffic laws and always carry a valid driver’s license when driving.
Do not drive a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Always lock the car when not in use.
The vehicle must come to a complete stop before shifting gears from “R” to “D” and vice versa, or the transmission can be seriously damaged.
Always come to a complete stop before shifting to “P” to avoid damage to the gearshift function.

Steps

Prepare to drive

Operating the vehicle in “Drive” mode

Driving in other gears

Advice

Warning

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