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What gears should I use when driving?
I’m learning how to drive a manual transmission, and I’m having trouble figuring out what gear I should have the car in at what time. Can you help?
Sarah Gray · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Good for you! Knowing how to drive a manual transmission is becoming a rare skill, and with just a little practice, you’ll soon know what gears to use when driving at which speeds.
Though every engine and transmission is different, you can generally plan to use your gears with the following speeds:
- First gear—0 to 10 mph
- Second gear—10 to 20 mph
- Third gear—20 to 30 mph
- Fourth gear—30-40 mph
- Fifth gear—40 and above if you drive a five-speed. If you drive a six-speed, remain in fifth until you no longer need to accelerate.
- Sixth gear—when cruising at 40 and above
Once you get the hang of things, you’ll find the sweet spots for each of your car’s gears. It can be a little frustrating at first, but patience pays off, as this is an excellent skill to have!
Whether you’re driving a manual transmission or an automatic, you need to make sure you’ve got it covered with reliable, affordable
car insurance
coverage, and car insurance super app Jerry
can help you find it easily. Just download the free Jerry app, answer a few questions, and let Jerry take it from there. You’ll have customized quotes in under two minutes, and Jerry will even help you set up your new policy and cancel your old one.
The best part? The average Jerry customer saves $887 a year on car insurance.
MORE: How to drive stick or manual cars
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- Gregory R.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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