Smooth control comes from good habits: starting the car the right way, steering with both hands and your eyes, and planning stops early. Rear-end collisions are the most common crash type in Tennessee — smooth, early stops help prevent them.
Starting the engine
- Foot on the brake; automatic in PARK, manual in NEUTRAL
- Manual: parking brake on and clutch pressed before starting
- Turn the key to 'on' and check the dash warnings (ABS, air bags, fuel)
- Turn on low beams — in daylight headlights make you visible twice as far
Know the rule
Automatic: R to back up, D to drive forward, O (overdrive) on interstates. Low gears (L, 2 or 1) are for steep downgrades, slow driving on ice, or slowing down if the brakes fail.
Handbook p. 42 ↗Manual transmission tips
- Hold the clutch down when starting, shifting and below 10 mph as you stop
- Don't 'ride the clutch' with your foot resting on it
- Never coast in neutral — it's illegal
- Use a lower gear going down steep hills
Know the rule
Never turn the ignition to the lock position while moving — the steering wheel locks and you lose control.
Handbook p. 42 ↗Know the rule
Keep a relaxed but firm grip with both hands and never drive with your elbow out the window. You also steer with your eyes: look where you want to go.
Handbook p. 42 ↗Know the rule
Don't let the wheel slip through your fingers; reverse your hand movements to straighten out (countersteering). Don't cross your arms — crossing wrists is OK.
Handbook p. 42 ↗Push-pull steering
The recommended method: each hand stays on its own side of the wheel, pulling down and pushing up in turn, so both hands stay on the wheel through the turn.
Handbook p. 43 ↗Hand-over-hand steering
Hands cross at the top of the wheel. It turns faster, but at times only one hand is on the wheel — keep your speed down.
Handbook p. 43 ↗Backing an automatic
- Foot on the brake, shift to R
- Left hand at 12 o'clock on the wheel
- Turn right, right arm over the seat back
- Look through the rear window for a clear path
- Back at idle or with gentle gas
- Turn the wheel right to back right, left to back left
- Keep looking back until you've stopped
Know the rule
Common backing mistakes: going too fast, too much steering, and turning the wheel the wrong way.
Handbook p. 43 ↗Pulling away
- Foot on brake, shift to D
- Check ahead, to the sides and behind
- Signal if pulling from a curb
- Press the gas gently
- Look at least one block ahead
Stopping smoothly
- Check mirrors; check over your shoulder and signal if moving to the curb
- Release the gas and press the brake with steady pressure — don't stomp
- Stop before the crosswalk or stop line
- At a curb, stop within 18 inches of it
Put it into practice
You need to back out of a driveway to the right. Foot on the brake, shift to R, left hand at 12 o'clock, twist to look through the rear window, and turn the wheel right as you creep back at idle speed.