To reverse an automatic car safely, adjust your seat and mirrors, fasten your seatbelt, and shift into reverse while your foot stays on the brake. Turn and check over your shoulder before you move, then ease off the brake and steer with light pressure while watching behind you. Keep your speed slow, and come to a full stop on the brake before shifting into drive or park.
Those five steps cover the whole maneuver, but each one matters for control and visibility. Here is the full walkthrough, starting with how to get positioned before the car moves.
Before You Reverse: Get Positioned Right
- Sit comfortably. You need to be able to turn and check your right shoulder while still reaching the brake. Adjust your seat before reversing, then move it back once you’re done.
- Adjust your mirrors if needed, and set them back afterward.
- Fasten your seatbelt. It matters in reverse just as much as it does driving forward.
- Keep your right foot ready on the brake pedal. In an automatic car, your left foot stays idle the whole time.
- Rest one hand near the top of the steering wheel, around the 12 o’clock position, rather than using both hands. One hand is easier to control while you’re turned around watching behind you.
How to Reverse an Automatic Car, Step by Step
1. Shift into reverse. Come to a complete stop, keep your foot on the brake, and pull the shifter down into reverse. Don’t turn around to look until the car is already in reverse gear.
2. Look around. Check your left side through the driver’s window and over your left shoulder, then check your right side by placing your left hand at the center of the wheel and your right hand on the back of the passenger seat while you look over your right shoulder. Confirm the area is clear of vehicles, objects, and pedestrians.
3. Ease off the brake and steer. Let the car roll back gradually. Steer with your one hand near the top of the wheel and remember the back of the car swings opposite to the direction you turn.
4. Control your speed. Reverse slowly. Only touch the gas if you need to, and use the brake to slow down if you’re moving too fast. A slower speed gives you time to scan your surroundings and correct your steering.
5. Stop and shift. Come to a full stop on the brake once you’re in position. Shift into park if you’re getting out, or drive if you’re moving forward right away.
Reversing Left and Right
Quick answer: to reverse left, turn the steering wheel right. To reverse right, turn the steering wheel left. The back of the car always swings opposite to the direction you turn the wheel.
This feels backward at first because driving forward means the front of the car goes wherever you point the wheel. In reverse, you’re steering the back of the car instead, so it feels reversed until you’ve felt it a few times.
Think of the car as a shopping cart you’re pulling instead of pushing. Pull a cart backward and turn the front wheels right, and the back of the cart swings left. A car does the same thing in reverse.
The easiest way to stop overthinking it: keep one hand near the top of the wheel and push that hand in the direction you want the back of the car to go. Push right, the back goes right. Push left, the back goes left. Most instructors teach this version for the road test because it skips the “opposite direction” thinking entirely.
Reversing in a Straight Line
Reversing in a straight line is one of the harder maneuvers to get smooth, mostly because small steering corrections matter more than they do going forward.
- Pull close to the curb and move parallel to it, following the same reversing steps above.
- Don’t get so close that you brush the curb or confuse the drivers behind you into thinking you’re parking.
- Touch the steering wheel less and less as the car straightens out.
- Once you’re near the curb, line the car up with it and stop.
Reversing into a Parking Space
Reversing into a parking space uses the same fundamentals with a bit more planning:
- Pull up in front of the empty space.
- Turn on your blinker to signal your intentions.
- Follow the reversing steps above.
- Straighten the wheel as the car enters the space.
- Line up the front of your car with the vehicles parked next to you.
- Stop before you get close enough to hit the curb.
- Shift into park before you get out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you reverse an automatic car?
Shift into reverse with your foot on the brake, check your mirrors and both shoulders for a clear path, then ease off the brake and steer gradually while watching behind you. Keep your speed slow and stop on the brake once you’re in position.
Is it easy to reverse an automatic car for beginners?
Yes. It feels unfamiliar the first few times because you’re steering the back of the car instead of the front, but it becomes routine with practice. Starting slow and keeping one hand near the top of the wheel makes it easier to pick up.
Do you use the gas pedal when reversing an automatic car?
Only if needed. Most of the time, easing off the brake gives the car enough momentum to roll back on its own. Light gas is fine on an incline or if you need a bit more speed, but reversing should stay slow overall.
Which way do you turn the wheel to reverse a car to the left?
Turn the steering wheel to the right. The rear of the car moves opposite to the wheel, so a right turn sends the back of the car left.
Which way do you turn the wheel to reverse a car to the right?
Turn the steering wheel to the left. The rear of the car swings right when the wheel is turned left.
Why does my automatic car jerk when I shift into reverse?
Worn or damaged engine mounts are a common cause. When the mounts wear out, the engine isn’t held as securely and can shift slightly as the transmission engages, which shows up as a jerk when you shift into reverse.
Conclusion
Reversing an automatic car comes down to a few habits: get positioned before you move, check your surroundings, steer with light corrections, and keep your speed slow. It takes a bit of practice to feel natural, but every driver gets there. If you want hands-on practice with an instructor, Pierre Paul Driving School in Brooklyn, New York covers reversing, parking, and every other road test maneuver.