How to Parallel Park

Parallel parking may seem terrifying, but follow these 10 steps and it will help you overcome your fears. If these steps don’t help you can contact us at A1 Driving Schools.

Step 1: Position your vehicle (Start by aligning your car parallel to the vehicle parked in front of the open space, approximately two to three feet from the side.)

Step 2: Check your mirrors (Before making any moves, ensure your rearview and side mirrors are properly adjusted. Then, check all mirrors and your blind spots for other vehicles, pedestrians, and obstacles. Ensure no traffic is coming from behind, and you’re aware of your surroundings. Once you are certain that there are no other vehicles in your blind spot, shift your car into reverse.)

Step 3: Start backing up (Put your car in reverse and start backing up slowly. Begin steering your wheel to the right.)

Step 4: Straighten the steering wheel (As your car moves into the empty parallel parking spot, slowly straighten your steering wheel as you continue to move backwards towards the parked car at the other end of the parking space. As you are maneuvering your vehicle, continuously check all mirrors and through your windows and front windshield to ensure you are not in danger of hitting either of the vehicles bordering the parallel parking space.)

Step 5: Begin turning your steering wheel to the left (Once the front of your vehicle has passed the back bumper of the vehicle in the parking spot in front of you, begin to turn your steering wheel to the left.)

Step 6: Check how close you are (Continuing to inch backwards in reverse and while beginning to straighten your steering wheel, look into your rearview mirror to see how close your vehicle is to the car in the parallel parking spot behind you.)

Step 7: Adjust your position (Once you have your vehicle straight and as close to the curb as possible, you may need to shift into forward to position your car so that there is an equal amount of space in front and behind your vehicle.)

Step 8: Don’t forget to pay before you leave (Many parallel parking spaces are assigned a parking meter. This is particularly true in major metropolitan areas. Make sure that you remember to feed coins into your parking meter after you parallel park your car.)

Step 9: Put the car into reverse (To exit a parallel park, first put your car into reverse and back towards the car behind you. Back as close as you reasonably can without putting yourself in danger of hitting the other vehicle.)

Step 10: Turn your steering wheel to the left (Next, turn your steering wheel to the left and shift your car into forward. Check for traffic in the lane you are about to enter. Making sure that you are not too close to the back bumper of the vehicle parked in front of you, slowly drive out of the parallel park.)