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US syllabus › Vehicle controls and basic skills › Starting, accelerating and stopping
Part 2 · Vehicle controls and basic skills

Starting, accelerating and stopping

Smooth starts and stops are the foundation of every other driving skill. They keep you and your passengers comfortable, give other drivers time to react and show an examiner that you are in control.

This page assumes an automatic car. Manual cars use the same observations, with clutch control added.

By the end of this topic you can

  • You can start the engine safely.
  • You can check around you and signal before moving off from the curb.
  • You can accelerate gently and steadily.
  • You can brake progressively to a smooth stop at a chosen point.
  • You can secure the car when parked.

What you need to know and understand

  • Keep your foot on the brake when starting the engine and shifting out of Park.
  • Signal before pulling away from the curb, even if no one seems to be around.
  • Check mirrors and look over your shoulder for the blind spot before moving off.
  • Yield to traffic already on the road when you pull out.
  • Brake early and gently, then ease off slightly just before the car stops to avoid a jolt.
  • When stopping behind another vehicle, leave enough room to see its rear tires touching the road.

Moving off from the curb

  1. Foot on the brake, start the engine and check warning lights.
  2. Shift to Drive and release the parking brake.
  3. Check inside and outside mirrors.
  4. Signal toward the traffic lane.
  5. Look over your shoulder for the blind spot.
  6. When there is a safe gap, release the brake, accelerate gently and steer into the lane.
  7. Cancel the signal if it does not cancel itself.

Accelerating with a light foot

Press the accelerator gradually, as if there were an egg under your foot. When entering traffic, leave yourself enough room to reach the speed of traffic; the California handbook suggests about half a block on city streets and a full block on highways. Look well ahead so you can ease off early rather than braking late.

Stopping where you mean to

  1. Check mirrors so you know what is behind you.
  2. Take your foot off the accelerator early.
  3. Press the brake lightly, then build pressure smoothly.
  4. Just before stopping, ease off a little for a gentle finish.
  5. Stop before the limit line, crosswalk or stop line.
  6. When parking, shift to Park and set the parking brake before releasing the foot brake.

Common mistakes

  • Forgetting the shoulder check before pulling away.
  • Pressing the accelerator too hard, causing a lurch.
  • Braking late and hard, which surprises drivers behind.
  • Stopping over the limit line or in the crosswalk.
Practice tip: In an empty parking lot, have your supervisor pick a cone or line and practice stopping exactly at it, smoothly, ten times in a row.

Test yourself: Starting, accelerating and stopping

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

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Sources: California Driver's Handbook, Sections 5 and 6 (dmv.ca.gov). Independent guide, not affiliated with any licensing agency. Always check the latest official rules with your state DMV.

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