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How to Parallel Park?
Updated Cars & Driving
Step-by-step
- Signal and pull up alongside the front car. Position your car parallel to (and about 2–3 feet away from) the car in front of the empty space, lining up your rear bumpers roughly even.
- Check mirrors and put it in reverse. Look over your shoulder and check mirrors for traffic and pedestrians.
- Reverse slowly while turning toward the curb. As you start backing up, turn the steering wheel fully toward the curb (right, if the space is on your right). Aim the back corner of your car toward the space.
- Straighten the wheel. When your car is at roughly a 45-degree angle and the front car's back bumper appears in your passenger-side mirror, straighten the wheels and keep backing slowly.
- Turn the wheel the other way. Once your front bumper clears the rear bumper of the front car, turn the steering wheel away from the curb to bring the rest of your car into the space.
- Straighten and center. Straighten the wheels and adjust forward/backward so you're centered, with even space in front and behind. Aim for about 6–12 inches from the curb.
Reference points at a glance
| Stage | What you should see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Rear bumpers roughly aligned, 2–3 ft gap | Put car in reverse, check mirrors |
| Mid-turn | Front car's rear bumper in your side mirror, car at ~45° | Straighten the wheel, keep reversing slowly |
| Clearing | Your front bumper passes the front car's rear bumper | Turn the wheel away from the curb |
| Finish | Car parallel to curb, even space front and back | Straighten wheels, adjust position, park |
The "1/2-1" method (an alternative reference): some instructors teach reversing until you're at the halfway point alongside the space, cutting the wheel, then straightening once you're one car-length in — it's the same underlying motion as above, just cued off different visual markers, so use whichever reference points click for you.
Common mistakes
- Starting too close or too far from the front car, which throws off every reference point after it.
- Turning the wheel too early or too late relative to the 45-degree mark.
- Going too fast — parallel parking depends on small, controlled adjustments, not speed.
- Not checking blind spots before and during the maneuver.
Tips: Go slowly and use small steering adjustments. Practice in an empty lot with cones first. Don't be afraid to pull out and try again if you're not lined up.
Why driving-test examiners fail people on this maneuver: the most common test failures are hitting or coming too close to the curb, taking too many correction moves, ending up too far from the curb (usually over 18 inches), or not checking mirrors and blind spots throughout — examiners are watching your observation habits as much as your final position.
Adjusting for a larger vehicle: trucks and SUVs have a longer wheelbase and wider turning radius, so the reference points above (the 45-degree angle, when the front bumper clears) happen a bit later in the sequence — the underlying technique doesn't change, but expect to need a slightly longer parking space and to turn the wheel a beat later than you would in a compact car.
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