3 simple tips to avoid mistakenly pressing the gas pedal

Stopping the car then shifting gear, not lifting the heel from the floor, and switching from the gas pedal right to the brake pedal are three simple rules from Philkotse.com to help the driver avoid mistakenly pressing the gas pedal.

1. Stop the car, shift to N or P mode

In case of stopping for a short period of time i.e. in case of waiting for the red light or asking the road, shift to neutral gear and pull the handbrake. Pulling the handbrake is never unnecessary as it helps your legs relaxed.

You just need to gently put your foot on the brake for a short time to prevent it from drifting on steep terrain. When shopping for a long time and in a safe position, the driver should switch to P mode and pull the handbrake.

When shopping for a long time and in a safe position, the driver should switch to P and pull the parking brake

This rule should be strictly followed because when you let the car remain in D gear, in case the driver is startled by a strange noise or affected by an unusual incident, it raises the risk of mistakenly pressing the gas pedal, causing the car to get out of control and prone to suffer accidents.

>>> Check out: Auto emergency: Do and Don'ts of fixing a car's stuck gas pedal.

2. The heel should never leave the floor

The driver should firmly follow the principle of the heel not leaving the floor, using only the right foot to control the throttle and brake. At this point, the heel is placed in alignment with the brake pedal and the driver only alternates the forefoot between the two functions. Maintaining the heel on the floor makes the foot's position always correct, avoiding mistaken placement and, in particular, easy to adjust the throttle or braking force.

Absolutely do not leave your heels off the floor

Consider the heel as the pivot point, from which the feet turn from the gas through the brake pedal or from the brake to gas quickly and accurately. Always think of the heel as the Achilles heel. This means that if you lift the heel to apply the pedal, you are at risk of injury and are likely to become road criminals when harming others.

>>> Read more: How to use your car brakes properly

3. Leave the gas, press the brake

Having held the heel on the floor means that the driver has always had a standard position to maneuver as a habit. However, this position can still cause mistakes for a new driver even if the heel is aligned with the brake pedal. To minimize confusion, a good habit is very important.

Form the habit of "leaving the gas, pressing the brake"

Good habits here are to "leave the gas then press the brake." This action should be habituated even in the absence of dangerous situations because it helps the driver to be ready to brake instead of pressing the accelerator.

In any situation, even with the manual transmission (MT), this action is effective. When the habit has formed, the risk of pedaling the wrong function has been reduced to the lowest level.