You are parked facing down a steep hill. For a vehicle with a manual transmission, which gear should you select when you park?

• A. First gear
• B. Neutral
• C. Reverse gear
• D. Second gear

Answer: (A)

When parking on a steep hill with a manual transmission, you want the engine to help hold the car in place. Using the lowest gear provides the most engine braking, which makes it harder for the car to roll forward under gravity when you’re facing downhill. First gear clamps down on wheel motion more than any other gear, so it’s the best choice to resist movement while you have the parking brake set. Neutral offers no engine braking at all, so the car would rely solely on the brakes, which is riskier on a slope. Higher gears give less engine braking, so they don’t restrain forward movement as effectively. If possible, also apply the parking brake and turn the wheels appropriately to help keep the car stationary.