keys2drive

Site Search * Enter Keyword

Reverse parallel parking

Parallel parking is one of the most challenging parking manoeuvres. Take your time to learn it well.

Park well to improve your skills and confidence

It feels good to know that you can park well. Learning to park also helps you to automate basic skills which can help you improve your awareness of the situations around you.

If you haven't already, learn the basic parking skills before learning to parallel park:

Learn to park

Start simple and learn gradually

Master the smaller actions that make up a whole reverse parallel park.

If you are worried about bumping into the car you are practising to park behind, start off on a street or in a car park where it's very safe and there is little or no traffic around. You're not likely to have a serious crash while parking but small crashes can be expensive. Don't try to parallel park in a busy street first up!

PRACTISE YOUR REVERSE PARALLEL PARK:
Check your mirrors Before you intend to park, check the rear and near side mirrors for traffic behind. If you have vehicles following you closely and will not be able to slow down smoothly and safely, keep going and choose another place to park. Use your indicators Give other road users plenty of warning that you are going to park - indicate early. Slow down Brake gently and slow down gradually. Check that the drivers behind you are responding. Be observant As you approach the vehicle you are parking behind, notice its size and how far out from the kerb it is. Later, this information will be useful. Prepare to park Come almost to a stop along side the space you intend to park. (This forces any drivers behind you to hang back and gives you room to reverse.) Ease off the brakes and move slowly forward positioning your car a good arm's length out from the car you are going to park behind. Stop when the rears of both cars are level. Reverse into the parking spot Select reverse gear. Look back into the parking space and keep looking back. Reverse slowly until you judge your back wheel is getting near the rear of the car next to you. (Your back wheel is what's called a pivot point, it's the point your car pivots around as you steer. Learn where this is on your car. Look for the part of your car that sits above the back wheel that you can see from the driver's seat.) Now, drive even slower and begin to steer quickly into the parking position. When your car is nearly at an angle of 45 degrees to the kerb quickly straighten the steering. Continue to reverse straight and slow for a very short distance and then steer quickly back the other way until you are nearly parallel to the kerb. Fine tune your final position. Use the car behind and car in front to judge where you should be. You might find a reflection of your car in a shop window nearby.

PRACTISE YOUR REVERSE PARALLEL PARK:

Check your mirrors

Before you intend to park, check the rear and near side mirrors for traffic behind. If you have vehicles following you closely and will not be able to slow down smoothly and safely, keep going and choose another place to park.

Use your indicators

Give other road users plenty of warning that you are going to park - indicate early.

Slow down

Brake gently and slow down gradually. Check that the drivers behind you are responding.

Be observant

As you approach the vehicle you are parking behind, notice its size and how far out from the kerb it is. Later, this information will be useful.

Prepare to park

Come almost to a stop along side the space you intend to park. (This forces any drivers behind you to hang back and gives you room to reverse.)

Ease off the brakes and move slowly forward positioning your car a good arm's length out from the car you are going to park behind. Stop when the rears of both cars are level.

Reverse into the parking spot

Select reverse gear. Look back into the parking space and keep looking back.

Reverse slowly until you judge your back wheel is getting near the rear of the car next to you. (Your back wheel is what's called a pivot point, it's the point your car pivots around as you steer. Learn where this is on your car. Look for the part of your car that sits above the back wheel that you can see from the driver's seat.)

Now, drive even slower and begin to steer quickly into the parking position. When your car is nearly at an angle of 45 degrees to the kerb quickly straighten the steering.

Continue to reverse straight and slow for a very short distance and then steer quickly back the other way until you are nearly parallel to the kerb.

Fine tune your final position. Use the car behind and car in front to judge where you should be. You might find a reflection of your car in a shop window nearby.

Back to Start L's