Parking: Practice Questions & Explanations

When parallel parking, position your vehicle within 12 inches (one foot) of the curb. More than 12 inches is generally considered too far and may result in a ticket; the standard for the road test in most states is 12 inches or closer. The reason: a vehicle parked too far from the curb creates a wider hazard zone for moving traffic. Parking technique: pull alongside the vehicle in front of your space, align rear bumpers, turn the wheel toward the curb, back slowly until your front bumper is roughly even with the rear bumper of the car in front, then turn the wheel away from the curb and continue backing until parallel to the curb. Straighten the wheel and adjust position as needed. Practice in an empty lot.

When parked facing downhill, turn the front wheels toward the curb. This way, if the vehicle starts to roll, the curb will stop it. Also set the parking brake firmly and place the transmission in 'Park' (automatic) or in first or reverse gear (manual). When parked facing uphill with a curb, turn the wheels away from the curb so the vehicle will roll backward into the curb if it moves. When parked on any grade without a curb, turn the wheels toward the side of the road in both directions, so a rolling vehicle drifts off the road rather than into traffic. This is asked on most state driver tests and is one of the easiest points to lose by getting confused on test day — practice until the rule is automatic.

PARKING ON A HILL — wheel position is a testable DMV topic in all states because a failure to turn wheels correctly has caused parked cars to roll into traffic and cause serious crashes. THE RULES: FACING DOWNHILL WITH A CURB: Turn wheels TOWARD THE CURB (right); if the brakes fail, the vehicle rolls forward slightly until the tire contacts the curb, which stops it from rolling into the street; FACING UPHILL WITH A CURB: Turn wheels AWAY FROM THE CURB (left); the vehicle rolls back slightly, the tire contacts the curb, stopped from rolling; FACING UPHILL OR DOWNHILL WITH NO CURB: Turn wheels TO THE RIGHT — toward the shoulder; if the vehicle rolls, it goes off-road away from traffic rather than into traffic; MEMORY AID: 'Away from traffic' — when facing uphill, curbing means wheels point away from the curb (but still away from traffic flow); when facing downhill, curbing means into the curb. PARKING BRAKE: Always set the parking brake in addition to turning wheels — the wheels are a backup in case the parking brake fails, not a substitute for it. MANUAL TRANSMISSION: Leave in gear (1st for uphill, Reverse for downhill) as additional protection. The DMV test typically asks about both scenarios (uphill vs downhill) and whether there is a curb or not — know all four combinations.

When parking facing downhill next to a curb, turn your front wheels toward the curb (to the right when the curb is on your right). That way, if the vehicle begins to roll, the front wheel catches against the curb and stops it. When facing uphill with a curb, turn the wheels away from the curb so the vehicle rolls back into it. When there is no curb (uphill or downhill), turn the wheels toward the edge of the road so a rolling vehicle moves away from traffic. Always also set the parking brake and leave the vehicle in park (or in gear for a manual). Proper wheel position is a tested parking-safety rule.