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What happens if you shift into reverse while driving?
I was driving the other day and I accidentally bumped the stick shift into neutral. It didn’t hurt anything other than rev my engine. But it made me wonder: what would happen if I shifted into reverse while driving forward?
Eric Schad · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Accidentally shifting into neutral on your car shouldn’t cause any damage to your vehicle. And fortunately, nothing should happen to your car if you shift into reverse while driving other than your car slowing down and some grinding of the gears.
Newer cars come equipped with a reverse inhibitor. This is a safety feature that ignores the shift to reverse and keeps the car going forward until the car reaches a slower speed.
However, older model vehicles (pre-2000) may not have a reverse inhibitor. If your car doesn’t have a reverse inhibitor, your car will either brake to a halt or the engine will stall. When the engine stalls, you won’t have control over acceleration or deceleration.
That said, older models and newer models won’t let you move the gear shift into reverse unless you press the button on the stick shift.
Since you’re taking the time to learn more about shifting into reverse, why not take a few extra minutes to review your
car insurance
and shop around on the Jerry
app?Jerry is a licensed insurance broker that provides quotes from dozens of top-rated and well-known car insurance companies. After you find a great rate, Jerry can help you buy insurance and cancel your old policy. Customers save an average of nearly $900 per year!
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