Why shouldn't you use both feet when driving an automatic car?
Using both feet while driving an automatic car can increase the risk of injury due to poor driving posture and also increase the risk of traffic accidents.
Unlike manual transmission cars, automatic transmission cars are designed with only one accelerator pedal and one brake pedal, and no clutch pedal. However, car manufacturers and driving schools alike recommend that drivers of automatic cars should only use one foot (the right foot) to control the accelerator and brake pedals.
This leads many new drivers or those new to automatic cars to wonder why they can't use both feet to control the accelerator and brake pedals (!?)
In fact, based on experience and practical research, there are many reasons why manufacturers and driving schools recommend that drivers of automatic cars should only use one foot to control the accelerator and brake pedals.
Firstly, on most modern cars, the accelerator and brake pedals are typically positioned slightly to the right. This design aims to promote a correct and comfortable driving posture. Using both feet on the accelerator and brake pedals in an automatic car can cause the driver to lean to one side. Incorrect driving posture can lead to spinal curvature and even injury.
Secondly, using the right foot to press the accelerator and the left foot to press the brake can easily lead to the driver pressing both the accelerator and brake pedals simultaneously. In this situation, the rear brake warning lights will illuminate, but the vehicle may continue moving if the force applied to the accelerator and brake pedals is not balanced. This is very dangerous for vehicles behind, as they cannot accurately determine when the car is actually braking.
Thirdly, in an emergency situation where the driver is forced to stop suddenly, they may inadvertently press the accelerator and brake pedals simultaneously, resulting in a longer braking distance than necessary, which could lead to a collision.
According to Mr. Tran Xuan Quyen, a person with many years of experience in training drivers: "Using both feet when driving an automatic car can easily cause accidents. In unexpected situations, drivers instinctively press both feet, but when pressing the accelerator hard, the braking effect is greatly reduced, and the car cannot stop as desired."
To avoid this mistake, when driving an automatic car, new drivers should get into the habit of "freeing up their left foot," using only their right foot, keeping their heel close to the floor, creating a comfortable posture that allows them to switch between the accelerator and brake pedals in a V-shape motion.
