Mastering Parallel Parking

Easy Steps to Mastering Parallel Parking

Parallel parking may seem intimidating at first, but it’s an important maneuver for all drivers to master. Here are a few tips to make the process easy.

Steps to Parallel Parking

1. Choose a space big enough for your vehicle. The parking space should be at least one and one-half the times the size of your vehicle.
2. Signal to show the cars around you your intention to park.
3. Pull up even to the vehicle in front of the space where you wish to park with about two feet between you and the other vehicle. If your vehicles are different lengths, line up the back bumper of your car with the back bumper of the front vehicle.
4. Stop and turn your front wheels all of the way right and drive backwards slowly toward the curb.
5. When your front seat is opposite the rear bumper of the front vehicle, quickly turn your steering wheel all of the way to the left.
6. Back up slowly toward the vehicle behind you without touching it. You should be about six inches from the curb.
7. Straighten your front wheels, and pull into the final parking position. Center your car in the space.
8. Check to make sure your right wheels are close enough to the curb. Parking out into the roadway too far can interfere with traffic.

Common Mistakes:

Here are some common mistakes to watch out for when parallel parking:

• Not using your turn signal to show the cars behind you your intent to park.
• Choosing a space that is too small for your vehicle. The space needs to be one and one-half times the size of your car to allow you to maneuver well.
• Incorrect starting position, being too close to the car beside you or not far enough ahead of the parking spot to begin the parallel parking maneuver.
• Straightening out the wheel too soon when backing in, which positions the car too far off the curb.
• Bumping the car in front of or behind your vehicle.
• Thinking you can pull forward into a parallel parking space instead of backing in.

Remember:

• Park with your right wheels close to the right curb. Don’t park facing oncoming traffic.
• Spacing and timing are very important while parallel parking. If you are too close to the car ahead, or if your wheels cut to the right too soon, you may hit the rear bumper of the car in front of you.
• If you are too far out from the car in front, you won’t get your wheels close enough to the curb.
• If you cut your wheels to the left too soon, you’ll hit the curb.
• Parallel parking takes practice. Don’t be discouraged; you’ll get it!

Finally, each time you leave a parallel parking space, make sure you signal first, watch for oncoming traffic, and move slowly.

Parallel parking may seem intimidating at first, but it’s an important maneuver for all drivers to master. Here are a few tips to make the process easy.