Learning to drive entails knowing how to park your car depending on available space. Parallel parking is one such method that new drivers often find challenging, but success is just a matter of going through the process step by step.

A Beginner’s Guide to Parallel Parking

1. Pull Alongside

Look for a space that’s at least one and a half times the length of your vehicle. Pull alongside the car in front of the spot you’ll be parking in, keeping a distance of two to three feet between you and the other vehicle. Align your car’s bumper with that of the vehicle beside you.

2. Back Up

Flip your turn signal to tell other motorists you intend to park. Put your car in reverse and slowly turn the car toward the direction of the curb. You should enter the parking spot at around a 45-degree angle. As your car clears the bumper of the vehicle parked ahead, steer the wheel to the other direction while continuing to reverse to straighten your car’s position into the spot. Be careful not to hit the car behind. When learning to drive, practice parallel parking on a quiet street or road with multiple lanes so you don’t slow down the traffic behind you.

3. Pull Forward

Straighten your tires and drive forward slightly to even out the space in front of and behind your vehicle. Your car is now parked! Bear in mind that each situation is different, and you might need to adjust depending on the available space.

Learning to drive is made simple with the help of Bob Shropshire Sons Driving School. Located in downtown Cincinnati, OH, their driving school instructors have taught students the safest and most efficient ways to maneuver vehicles on the road for over eight years. Call (513) 721-3915 to start learning to drive from the Better Business Bureau®-accredited school, or visit their website to view available lessons.