Leaving car in gear no handbrake

As new drivers, either currently learning to drive or a newly fully qualified driver, you may be wondering how to best secure your car against rolling when parked. Many driving instructors neglect to offer this advice as it’s not indicative of the driving test, so if you did have any questions about leaving your car in gear while parked, we’ll hopefully answer them here.

Why Leave a Car in Gear When Parked?

Along with using the parking brake, leaving the car in gear when parked adds an additional layer of safety to prevent the car from rolling.

Does Leaving a Car in Gear Stop it from Rolling?

Yes, leaving a car in gear does almost certainly stop it from rolling.

When you leave your car parked in neutral, it disconnects the engine from the wheels, so think of it this way, when you’re driving your car, the engine turns and makes the wheels move. So if the your car were to start rolling while in gear, it would need to turn the engine too – and that makes rolling far more difficult.

Should You Leave a Car in Gear When Parked?

When parking your car on leve

leaving car in gear at traffic lights

leaving car in gear no handbrake reddit