A 3-minute lesson from the West Virginia course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Parking maneuvers are tested on the road test and on the written exam. Learn the steps, the distances from the curb, and which way to turn your wheels on a hill.
Angle parking into a space on your right:
Signal and slow down
Stay parallel to the curb, at least five (5) feet out from parked vehicles
When your front end is even with the rear of the space, steer sharply right
Pull in slowly, centered, then straighten the wheel
Continue until the front wheel barely touches the curb
Backing out of an angle space is hazardous: don't rely only on the mirror, back out slowly watching for pedestrians and vehicles, and never back across the center line.
Parallel park in the direction of traffic, with your wheels within 18 inches of the curb (right curb, or left curb on the left side), centered in the space.
You park facing downhill on a street with a curb. Turn your front wheels toward the curb, set the parking brake, and put the automatic in park, so if the car moves, the curb stops it.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
When you parallel park, what is the farthest your wheels may be from the curb?
12 inches
24 inches
18 inches
36 inches
Answer: 18 inches
Park with the wheels parallel to and within 18 inches of the curb (about 6 inches is ideal); do not park more than 18 inches out.
