Are you learning how to parallel park? Are you a pupil, trainer or parent trainer teaching someone to drive? Are you concerned that you won’t be able to master it or teach it? Have you heard lots of nightmare stories about other pupils struggling to do it, or failing their driving test because of it?
In this guide, I will walk you through what I do with my students when it comes to the parallel park manoeuvre and to be confident performing it in your driving test and in real life.
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Why Is Parallel Park Important?
Before we can delve into learning the parallel park or reverse park exercise, we first need to understand why it is important. There are many benefits of reverse park exercise. Here are some of them:
- Can park in tight spaces on terraced roads
- Easier to reverse park than to drive forwards between two parked cars
- More maneuvrability and technical difficulty
As you can see there are many benefits of being able to reverse park your car between two cars. It can be very challenging to try and forward-park your car into a tight space.
It is imperative that you master this manoeuvre for the benefits mentioned above. When it comes to your test – it is important to be able to perform this exercise on a basic level. This guide will introduce you to the manoeuvre, where to start, varying locations of practice, and of course, mastering the tips to ensure a pass on your driving test.
What skills do you need to be able to start learning how to parallel park?
As with anything, the parallel park exercise is a complex reversing exercise. Possibly the hardest exercise on the DVSA’s learning to drive syllabus. I have found as a driving instructor it is very important for pupils to be able to master the following before attempting this exercise.
- Clutch control
- Steering control
- Spacial awareness
How to improve clutch control prior to starting to learn parallel park
The most important element when it comes to learning how to parallel park is clutch control. If a student is not confident with clutch control they will struggle to concentrate on all of the elements needed to be able to perform this exercise. Here are a few tips I do when teaching my students.
- Start improving clutch control with one of the other reversing exercises. My favourite ‘starting’ reverse exercise is the forward bay park. Not only does the pupil learn clutch control – but they also learn a manoeuvre! I take my students to a quiet car park and teach them the manoeuvre.
- They perform the manoeuvre many times before they start to see progress. Every student is different but – in general, 20 + times will improve their clutch use and their steering coordination. This combined is – psycho-coordination skills.
- I then move onto the park up on the right exercise. Although this manoeuvre uses less clutch control, it does help with spatial awareness and reversing in a straight line.
- Hill starts – this helps the student ‘find’ the biting point, and associated control needed to pull off safely uphill.
- Downhill starts. This manoeuvre helps the student understand the different foot techniques. Clutch control and brake control. With any manoeuvre, it is important to establish which foot control technique will be required during the exercise based on the gradient of the road that the student is on.
- Driving in traffic. Learning to drive in traffic. Stop-start driving will force the learner to accelerate their foot controls and use of the clutch. Trust me – a good hour, in traffic will accelerate the use of the clutch!
Where is a good place to learn how to parallel park?
When starting out, it is wise to find a quiet road to start learning the parallel park exercise. There is nothing worse than a busy road with many interruptions. Think about your local area: residential roads, quiet cul-de-sacs, etc. Once you are happy that you have a quiet road, find a single parked car to practice with.
Do be mindful and respectful of the owner of the vehicle. Sometimes car owners can become agitated when they see a ‘learner’ performing a practice session using their beloved car. As a general rule of thumb: I recommend only three attempts per car. Once you have done three attempts, move on and find another car. This also gives the learner ample experience with different shaped cars and road gradients.
Try and avoid local hot spots of learner drivers. It may seem obvious to find somewhere where other learners are practising, but again local residents get annoyed. Very often they complain to the local test centre manager and an announcement is put out at the driving test centre.
It is also important to learn the reverse park exercise when the road surface is flat. If you try to start learning on a hill – the learner will struggle with clutch control and may become agitated. Again, it is important to be able to perform the exercise on any gradient of the road, but it is best to start with a flat surface.
Road cambers and the Parallel Park exercise
It is important that the learner driver understands what a road camber is. If the street you are on has a strong camber, then it is imperative they understand the risks associated with the camber. Also, it is important to understand what a reverse camber is!
The shape of the road is determined by the period of time in which the road was made. In Victorian times, the roads were designed very differently from what they are today. Drainage systems are very different to what they are today. The shape of a road is like a semi-circle. As the learner completes the exercise, the car may pick up speed as they fall down the camber! So, when practicing this reverse exercise please bear this in mind!
Who has priority with the reverse park exercise?
The learner driver doesn’t have priority with this exercise. As they are ‘blocking’ the road, other road users have priority. Make sure that the learner driver acknowledges this and gives way to other road users including pedestrians crossing the road.
The learner must ensure they observe throughout the exercise, before, during, and after the parallel park exercise. Once the learner understands the rules and the risks it is important to be able to respond to what they see. As a general rule of thumb: the learner MUST stop if they see another vehicle approaching or a pedestrian about to cross the road. Once the other vehicle stops and gives way – then the learner can resume with their exercise. The other road user has given the learner permission to continue.
Sometimes, other road users may attempt to pass the learner driver. Even if this means mounting the curb. The learner should NEVER assume that they will automatically give them permission to continue if the road is not wide enough to allow the other vehicle to pass.
When learning this exercise it is important to understand the risks associated with the manoeuvre. If you are a learner driver or a trainer – ensure a discussion or risk assessment has been had and a thorough action plan based on different scenarios has been thought about.
Dry Steering During The Parallel Park Exercise
It is not a ‘fail’ if you or your learner driver ‘dry steers’ during this exercise. However, it is not good practice as it puts a lot of strain on the mechanics of the car. Also, the tyre tread can become worn during this exercise. Not only will you be replacing your tyres more frequently, but you may need to also replace your suspension and steering wheel column which can run into the 1000’s pounds!
Attempt to not cross over your hands when reversing, or steer whilst the car is stationary.
Are you allowed one hand on the steering wheel when reversing?
Yes. When in reverse gear, it is perfectly acceptable to have just one hand on the steering wheel. However, if the learner doesn’t feel comfortable with this, they should learn to have two hands on the steering wheel. A good technique to use is the 10-2 position of the hands. Using the push-pull technique.
Are you allowed to take off your seatbelt during the exercise?
Yes. However, I don’t advise this to my learner drivers. If you forget to put the seatbelt on after you have completed the manoeuvre then this could penalize you on your driving test. This would most definitely be a serious fault.
Observation During The Parallel Park Exercise
It is really important to be able to observe correctly when it comes to the parallel park exercise. Reversing, in general, can be very dangerous and hazardous and the driver needs full concentration to do so. You should:
- Look in your rearview mirror before pulling alongside the practice car to ensure no other vehicle is coming
- Check all around the car prior to starting the reverse exercise
- Look out of your back window and don’t rely on your mirrors only
- Check both blind spots before and during the exercise.
- If you see another road user, vehicle or pedestrian, stop and assess the situation before continuing.
- If you are causing a nuisance or hazard drive on and find somewhere else to continue.
Parallel Park: Method
OK – so we have gone through some of the rules of the parallel park and answered some of your questions. Let’s now look at the method. Please note: different instructors will use different techniques, this is the method that I have used and perfected over the duration of my career. The method is important to learn how to parallel park – but, it doesn’t matter as such when it comes to the driving test.
- Ensure the road is clear prior to starting this exercise.
- Pull alongside your target car – 1 metre away. Slightly further forward than the practice vehicle.
- Before selecting reverse gear – ensure no other vehicle is approaching!
- Check to ensure there are no vehicles approaching or pedestrians nearby. Do a thorough check around the vehicle
- If clear, select reverse gear and reverse back until your wing mirror is in the middle of the car.
- Once there, steer one full turn to the left. Bring the bonnet to one o clock.
- At one o clock, take the steer off to straight wheels. Steer one to the right.
- Reverse back until your nearside bumper overlaps the curb line, or your back tyre is a foot and a half away from the curb.
- STOP at this reference point. This will ensure your accuracy, and slow you down!
- Steer full right lock, this is about one and a half steers.
- Once the bonnet becomes parallel to the curb, steer back to the left to straight wheels.
- Check to see your position is good and you are within a car length of the practice car.
- Check to see if you are within a foot of the curb.
- Once you are happy, secure the car and put on the parking brake.
- Ensure regular checks around the vehicle whilst reversing, and respond to what you see!
Perfecting the parallel park exercise
When it comes to learning how to parallel park, you can expect to do 30+ practice sessions. It is important to have lots of practice in varying road conditions and traffic volumes. Here are my top tips:
- Practice in rounds of five
- Once more confident, practice parallel park on busier roads
- Ensure practice on hills, both uphill and downhill roads.
- Practice between two cars (unlike on your driving test)
- Learn to do a right parallel park!
I hope you have found this article useful, please comment if you have any questions and I will get back to you. If you want to know top tips on how to pass the driving test please read our article here.
FAQ’s On the Parallel Park Exercise
Can I fail my driving test for the parallel park exercise? Yes. Unfortunately, this is a common area of failing the driving test. There are multiple reasons as to why you might fail the driving test. Please refer to our driving test tips article on how to pass the test with parallel park here.
My driving instructor uses a different method, does this matter? No. The method is not important. What is important is what works for you. If your instructor’s method works then use their method. If this method works, try using this one.
Can I take my time? You can take your time. However, do bear in mind, other road users. When starting out, use a quiet road to avoid pressure from waiting or approaching traffic. Once you are more confident, you will be able to do the exercise in a shorter amount of time.
What will happen if I hit the curb? If you hit the curb, you may damage the tyres of the car. You may also risk injuring a pedestrian if one is nearby. Try avoiding the curb or stopping before touching it. You could lower your wing mirror to have a better look or buy blind spot mirrors on Amazon.
Will I get this exercise on my driving test? Not necessarily. It depends on which reverse exercise the driving examiner gives you. You will get either: parallel park, reverse bay park, forward bay park, or the park up on the right exercise. In total, you have one reverse exercise.
