How to Line Up Your Car for Parallel Parking
- 1). Pick a quiet residential street to practice. Turn off the radio or any other distractions. Ask a friend or family member to watch you so the person can tell you if you get too close to other cars.
- 2). Drive past the space, then stop to see if the space is bigger than your car. For beginners, a spot five to six feet longer than your vehicle is better.
- 3). Turn on your right turn signal. Pull forward until you are lined up with the car next to you. Make sure you are at least two to three feet away from the car. Do not pull too close or you risk hitting the car when you begin backing into your space.
- 4). Line up the back bumpers of your vehicle with the one next to it. Your bumper can also be two or three feet behind the other bumper if space allows. Put your foot on the brake and put the car in reverse.
- 5). Check your driver-side mirror before backing up. Look over your shoulder as you slowly begin backing into the space. Release your foot off the brake gently and roll back just a little bit, then turn the steering wheel sharply to the right.
- 6). Back up until you are about a foot from the curb. This is where having a bystander nearby is helpful. If you hit the curb, pull forward, then back in again.
- 7). Turn the wheel sharply to the left if your car is clear of the vehicle in front and continue backing in as far as you can without hitting the car behind you.
- 8). Put the car in drive and pull forward turning the wheel to the right to straighten out the car. You will have to pull up and back a few times to get the car exactly straight. Go slow and watch all your mirrors.
- 9). Practice parking a few times to become more efficient before attempting to parallel park on busy streets.