How to Drive Step By Step

How to drive step by step is a bit frightening of a concept to provide this information on the internet. That being said, these are the basics. Employing this knowledge does not in any way make anyone qualified to operate a motor vehicle. The following article will outline the most important aspects of driving a car, step by step. These are in general a guideline for the United States.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Get your keys. Insert the key into the ignition. It should be located behind the right side of the steering wheel. If you are driving an automatic (2 pedals), make sure that the shifter is in the 'park' position and put your right foot on the left pedal, which is the break. If you are driving a stick (3 pedals), put your left foot on the clutch, which is the left pedal, and put your right foot on the break, which is the middle pedal. Now turn over the key. In some older cars, you may have to give it some gas to get it to start.

2. I'll assume you are in a driveway. Put the car into reverse. For automatics, you will simply move the shifter to where it says reverse. In a stick, you will need to read the little map on the top of the shift knob to see where reverse is. Usually it will be all the way to the right and all the way down, but it varies in some cars.

3. Check your mirrors to make sure you do not see anyone behind you. Then look over your right shoulder so you have a clear view of everything around you. Do not look forward until you are going forward. If you are going backwards, you need to look backwards, not rely on your mirrors.

4. In an automatic, you can let off the break and the car should begin to roll backwards. If need be, you can hit the gas a little with your right foot (right pedal). In a stick you will need to slowly let out the clutch with your left foot and slowly put on the gas with your right foot (right pedal). Never under any circumstances should you hit the break and the gas at the same time.

5. As you back into the street, make sure to watch for cars and people. You will turn the wheel as you exit the driveway so that you become parallel with the road.

6. Once you are on the road, the hard part is done. In an automatic, put the car in drive and press the gas to go forward. In a stick, put your foot on the clutch and put the car in 1st gear. Slowly let out the clutch, applying gas slowly at the same time, just like when you backed out. This will cause you to move forward. This can take a lot of practice for most people. When you have reached the end of the gear, you will need to put the clutch in quickly and let off the gas, move the car into 2nd gear and then let off the clutch and reapply the gas. And so on and so forth up to 4 or 5 gears.

7. Make sure to drive on the right side of the road. Use your mirrors to make sure you are between the lines. Always maintain alertness of others on the road so that you stay in your lane and do not hit them.

8. Stop at stop signs and red lights. Green light means go and yellow means it is about to turn red. Only experience can tell you exactly what to do with a yellow light. If you are driving a stick, make sure to put the clutch in before you apply the break.

9. Watch for speed limit signs so that you are not going too fast. At the same time, don't go more than five under the speed limit.

[Alrady]

on 11/30/2009 uhm if someone backed the car into the driveway and you put it into reverse, then yo may go through a garage door. LOVE THIS ARTICLE... great concept. practical too!

[hazeleyes946]

on 11/10/2009 Wow, pretty cool, I will forward this to my exhusband.

[Irishgirl]

on 4/4/2009 Thanks. Driving a stick does take practice, especially coordinating the clutch and the gas, as you said in your article. Great job!

[mralarcon]

on 3/23/2009 nice job