- Parallel parking is an important skill for city driving, road tests and overall driver confidence.
- Learn the basic steps to back into a space and park close to the curb.
- Start by practicing with cones, then in low-traffic real-world settings.
- Get familiar with parking technology and what to do after a minor parking accident.
How to Parallel Park Perfectly — Every Single Time
Parallel parking is an incredibly important driving skill, especially if you live or drive in a city. Whether you’re teaching a teen to drive, or you want to brush up on your own driving skills, we’ll cover how to parallel park without getting nicks, dings or scratches on your car along the way.
Key Takeaways
What is parallel parking? It’s the process of parking your car in line with other vehicles along a curb.
Why is parallel parking important?
Parallel parking may seem like an outdated skill. As of May 2019, 16 states across the U.S. no longer require parallel parking knowledge to pass the driver’s education course.
But many people still believe parallel parking is important, and at Amica, we agree. Here are a few reasons why we think everyone should know how to parallel park:
- You may visit an area that only has parallel parking available. You know what’s hard? Having to unexpectedly parallel park, especially when you don’t know how. You never know when you may visit a city where parking lots are scarce and on-street parking is required.
- You may drive a car with limited parking-assist features. Even if your current vehicle automates parallel parking, you may need to rent or buy a car without this technology. Not every car offers an automated parking feature.
- It creates a better driver. Knowing how to parallel park demonstrates a familiarity – and comfort – with a car’s steering and size. It means you can safely maneuver a car, even in tight spaces. The bottom line: If a person can parallel park, they’re probably a better driver overall.
- It’s usually required to pass the driver’s exam. In most states, new drivers must demonstrate parallel parking knowledge in order to get a license. If you’re a parent of a teen driver, it’s essential that you know how to parallel park so you can teach the concept. After all, you want to set your teen up for driving success.
Teaching a newer driver? “How to Teach a Teen to Drive” can help you build from basic driving skills to more advanced parking practice.
Convinced yet? We hope so, because parallel parking is a relevant skill. Chances are that you or your teen will have to parallel park at some point. And when you do, you don’t want to miss out on a spot or, worse, hit a vehicle.
Practice tip: If you’re nervous, begin by parallel parking with cones in an empty lot before moving to a real street. It’s one of the safest ways to practice spacing, timing and steering without worrying about damaging another car.
How to parallel park, a step-by-step guide
How do you parallel park a car? If you’re ready to teach your teen driver how to parallel park – or brush up on your own skills – these are the basic moves to practice. Before you know it, you and your teen will be parallel parking without hesitation.
Step 1: Create a parking space to practice. If you or your teen is new to driving, you may want to begin in a parking lot. Use cones to create a space that’s at least three feet longer than your car on both ends. For example, if your car is 15 feet long, place the cones 21 feet apart. This should provide enough room to practice. Learning how to parallel park with cones gives you a low-pressure way to practice the turning points.
Step 2: Discuss how to find legal parking spots. Usually, parallel parking is necessary in areas where there are parking regulations and garage parking is limited or pricey. Brush up on parking signs so you know where you can park legally. You should also know when parking is free and how to pay for metered spots. After all, you don’t want to face hefty parking tickets in the future.
Step 3: Pull up next to the car that’s in front of the space. This is the part that takes practice. It may take a few tries before you or your teen understand how close to place the car before backing in.
Step 4: Turn on the signal and start backing up. Use the turn signal that points in the direction of the parking spot. This will let other drivers know where you’ll be parking. Use the side and rearview mirrors to make sure no one is behind or next to the car. It also helps to turn around and check for cars, bicyclers and pedestrians. If no one is there, slowly start backing up and continue until the vehicle is about halfway past the front car.
Step 5: Turn the wheel toward the parking spot. Start turning the steering wheel in the direction of the parking spot and continue slowly driving it in reverse. Continue driving backward until the car is at a 45-degree angle to the front car.
Step 6: Turn the wheel in the opposite direction. Next, turn the wheel in the opposite direction and continue reversing. Once you have cleared the car in front of you, start turning in the opposite direction until it is parked. This will also take practice to perfect.
Step 7: Aim for six inches from the curb. Parking too close to the curb can damage the car’s tires. But parking too far away can disrupt traffic and cause an accident. Once you and your teen have parked, get out of the car and look at how close the car is to the curb. If you need to, pull out of the spot and try again.
Remember to have patience. Parallel parking and learning to properly use all of your mirrors can take time to master. It’s OK to start practicing with cones and move slowly to real-life parking scenarios. When you do head out, look for parking spaces that are large and on roads with limited traffic.
How to practice parallel parking
The safest way to build confidence is to practice gradually, starting with low-pressure setups before moving into busier streets.
| Practice setup | Why it helps | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Parallel parking with cones | Lets you practice without other vehicles nearby | Place cones with extra room on both ends so you can learn the angle |
| Quiet residential street | Feels more like a real parking situation | Pick a low-traffic area and larger spaces first |
| Busy city street | Builds confidence in real-world conditions | Try this only after you’re comfortable with the basics |
New auto technology that can help you parallel park
Many of the latest vehicle models have technology that parallel parks for you or, at the very least, alerts you to objects near your car. If you’re in the market for a new car, consider researching parking technology.
Here are some of the latest solutions on the market:
- Automatic parallel parking: Car manufacturers know that millions of people have “parallelophobia,” or the fear of parallel parking. In response, they’ve developed automatic parallel parking, which can guide the car into a spot and alert you if there isn’t enough space.
- Cross-traffic alert: This technology alerts you when you’re backing out of a parking spot and another car is behind you. It’s especially helpful when paired with a backup camera – and can save you from an unnecessary fender bender.
- 360-degree camera: Cameras are placed on every side of the car to provide a 360-degree picture of the space around your vehicle. The pictures are then combined to offer a top-down view of the car. This feature can help avoid accidents at slow speeds and small dings.
- Exit warning to protect cyclists: Unfortunately, it’s common for parked drivers to open their doors and hit a cyclist. This feature uses sensors to detect bicycles and cars, and prevent drivers from opening their doors to a collision.
Auto safety technology has incredible benefits. In fact, according to one study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a rear automatic-braking system, along with backup cameras and parking alerts, can lower the risk of an accident by 75% or more. If you can, consider investing in these features. They may help keep your family safe and limit the damage to your car. Still, technology works best when paired with careful practice and full attention.
When it comes to parallel parking, practice makes perfect. If you and your teen spend a significant amount of time learning how to parallel park, it can become a manageable skill instead of something to fear.
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FAQs about parallel parking
Parallel parking is parking your car along a curb so it lines up with the vehicles in front of and behind you. It’s commonly used on city streets where spaces run parallel to the road.
Start in an empty lot on a quiet street. Line up beside the car in front of the space, back in slowly, turn toward the curb, then turn the wheel back the other way as you straighten out. Taking it slowly is usually the best way to learn.
Set up two cones to represent the front and back cars, leaving enough extra room for your vehicle. Practicing this way can help you learn the angles and timing before you try parking between real cars.
Begin with parallel parking with cones, repeat the same setup several times and pay attention to when you start turning the wheel. Once that feels comfortable, move to larger curbside spaces in low-traffic areas.
Aim to be close enough that your car is not sticking too far into traffic, but not so close that you risk scraping the tires or wheels on the curb. This article recommends about six inches.
How Stuff Works
The Drive
Driving-tests.org
Wikihow
The Zebra
MyCarDoesWhat.Org
Kelley Blue Book
Forbes
U.S. News and World Report
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