If your accelerator fails, which gear should you shift to?

If your accelerator fails while driving, shifting to neutral is the safest and most effective action to take. By moving the gear to neutral, you disengage the engine from the wheels, allowing you to regain control of the vehicle without it accelerating unintentionally. This enables you to maintain steering control while you slow down and prepare to stop safely.

When in neutral, you can also apply the brakes effectively without the vehicle continuing to accelerate due to a stuck accelerator. This gives you the opportunity to guide the vehicle to a safe location off the road or to a place where you can safely deal with the mechanical issue.

Shifting into reverse, first gear, or park would not be appropriate actions in this situation. Reverse could cause the vehicle to move backward unexpectedly, first gear might engage the engine with the wheels again, and park could cause transmission damage if attempted while the vehicle is still in motion. Thus, neutral is the best choice when faced with a failed accelerator.