How Do You Safely Park a Car?
With the exponential rise in the number of new drivers on the Australian roads, safe parking has become a demanding task. This article will demystify all the details you require to park your car safely.
Types of Parking
Before we delve into the parking guidelines, let’s analyse the types of parking:
- Angle Parking: This is a type of parking where vehicles are parked at a slanting angle. It is an easier mode of parking as you can get in and move out of parking spaces without making sharp turns.
- Perpendicular Parking: Cars are parked side by side at a 90-degree angle. It is common when parking your vehicle for a long duration.
- Parallel Parking: It is a parking technique where you position your car parallel to the road. You must be proficient when executing this parking technique as you may be required to park in between two cars.
Guidelines for Safe Parking
During parking, you can incur damages due to collisions and scratches that may arise due to incompetent parking skills. Here are some of the guidelines that elevate your parking skills and minimise such occurrences.
1. Find Your Parking Slot
Identify the perfect space to park your car. New drivers should choose a parking lot that is clear or has few cars to avoid distractions. A white line marks a parallel parking lot. It is recommended that you park on a slot that is longer than your car’s length by 1-2 m.
2. Analyse Your Position
It is a crucial step that ensures you park your vehicle in the right spot. Additionally, you should maintain a distance of about 1.5-2 m from other cars. The distance can also vary depending on the type of parking. Perpendicular parking requires a distance of at least 2.5 m. Even if there is no vehicle in the neighbouring parking lot, ensure that you calculate and maintain the same distance.
3. Turn on Light Signal
Safety is paramount when parking. To minimise risk while parking, it is essential that you alert pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers by turning on the signal light.
4. Turn The Steering Wheel
When you find an ideal parking spot, turn the steering wheel while moving slowly until the car reaches the line at the end of the parking spot. When positioning your car in parallel parking, turn the wheel and reverse slowly in the parking spot.
5. Adjust The Wheel
Ensure that the wheels are parallel to the car body after parking. This will ensure that you have an easy time when driving out of the parking lot later. Engage the parking brake to ensure that your car remains in a stationary state.
Hone Your Parking Skills Today
As a driver, you must continually advance your driving skills to ensure that you are always parking your car safely. At LTrent Driving School, we train and monitor our customers to ensure they acquire top-notch driving skills. Please get in touch with us today to book Safer Drivers Course and become one of the most competent drivers on the road.