5 mistakes that can easily put new drivers in danger when driving an automatic car

Currently, automatic cars in Vietnam are increasingly dominating manual cars because of their simple operation and ease of control. However, for new drivers when switching from manual cars to automatic cars, many people make basic mistakes in operating the accelerator, brake pedal, gearbox... causing unsafety and easily damaging parts of the car.

1. Mistakes when shifting gears manually on automatic cars

Most automatic cars today are equipped with manual shifting, sport shifting or steering wheel shifting. However, some new drivers are used to driving automatic cars in D mode, so they often ignore the manual shifting function on automatic cars.

Not using manual mode is also considered a mistake of new drivers when driving on steep mountain roads. Because if in D mode, due to inertia when going downhill, the car often moves faster, forcing the driver to use the brakes more. In the case that the driver often brakes, the brakes will heat up and easily lead to brake pads burning, brake failure, causing danger.

2. Shifting to neutral when going downhill can easily cause loss of control

Shifting to N when going downhill will cause the driver to lose complete control of the vehicle, leading to not being able to handle unexpected situations in time. Besides, many people think that shifting to N helps save fuel, but today's automatic transmissions are capable of regulating fuel consumption based on engine performance. Therefore, this is unnecessary.

Accelerating when the vehicle is stationary and then shifting from N to D to move the vehicle quickly can cause damage and great wear to the gearbox belt.

3. Ignore the danger warnings

Ignoring warning signs such as strange noises, constant screeching, and frequent knocks can be extremely dangerous if not checked immediately. You may not notice any problems at first, but the longer you wait, the more trouble you will encounter if a part suddenly breaks and gets stuck on the road.

4. Use both feet

Recently, there have been many cases of “crazy cars” causing a series of accidents due to mistakenly stepping on the gas pedal due to using two feet to control the car, one on the gas pedal and one on the brake. This mistake is extremely dangerous and can take the lives of both the driver and pedestrians, so special attention must be paid to this factor.

5. Accelerate quickly before shifting to N

Accelerating hard in N and then shifting to drive is not only dangerous for the driver but also affects the engine's lifespan and endangers the driver's life.