Will I have to reverse park during the driving test?
Reverse or parallel parking is among the key areas you may be tested on during your practical driving test. The testing officer will evaluate your general road awareness and skills, including reverse parking. While excelling in the reverse parking driving test doesn’t automatically qualify you as a skilled driver, it can improve your overall score. Here’s everything you need to know about parallel parking for the NSW driving test.
Rules of Reverse Parking
To execute reverse parking successfully, follow these essential rules:
- Maintain Kerb Distance
As a rule of thumb, you should always keep your car’s wheels within 50 cm of the kerb without touching it. The car must be in the correct parallel position before you start the manoeuvre. Touching the kerb can be marked as a fault, so it’s crucial to keep an eye on this aspect during the test. - Be Accurate with Measurements
Maintain a one-metre distance between your car and the parked car beside you before beginning the reverse. Once in the parking space, ensure a one to two-metre gap between your vehicle and the car in front to allow room for both cars to manoeuvre if needed. - Maximise Control with Limited Directional Changes
During the driving test, you’re allowed up to four directional changes to position your car correctly. Keeping control with minimal corrections demonstrates your skill in handling reverse parallel parking.
Testable Areas in Reverse Parking
Examiners may test reverse parking skills in different environments to evaluate learner drivers’ control and awareness of road users.
Reverse Park into a Car Parking Bay
A car park bay is often used to test basic reverse parking skills. Here’s what the examiner looks for:
- Putting the Car in a Parallel Position: The wheels should be aligned parallel with the parking bay lines before reversing.
- Observing Surroundings: Observation checks, including mirrors and blind spots, are essential. Turn your head and use the side window to gauge the distance.
- Clutch Control and Speed: Maintaining steady control with the clutch in a manual car ensures that you’re moving at a safe speed. Staying within the lines of the bay also keeps you clear of other parked cars.
Reverse Parallel Parking on the Road
Completing reverse parallel parking on the road, especially in a built-up area, can be more challenging:
- Select a Suitable Position: Begin by positioning the car parallel to and about one metre away from the car you’ll be parking behind.
- Observation Checks: Look around for other road users, especially those behind and in your blind spots. Turn your head and ensure the area is clear before you begin reversing.
- Turning the Steering Wheel Correctly: As you reverse, turn the steering wheel to angle the car at approximately 45 degrees. Keep an eye on the car in front and adjust as needed to avoid touching the kerb while aligning the wheels.
The examiner will observe whether you stayed calm and showed full awareness of your surroundings in both parking scenarios, indicating that you’re a safe driver.
Complete Your Reverse Parking Test Successfully
Good driving schools teach the basic and advanced skills needed for passing the reverse parking test. Practising three-point turns, understanding the correct kerb distance, and avoiding common faults are all part of a comprehensive guide to the driving test.
If you’re learning to drive and want to improve your parallel parking, LTrent Driving School offers the Trent On Road Training (TORT) program. This program focuses on preparing learner drivers for the NSW driving test with targeted practice in reverse parking, observation checks, and road awareness. Our driving instructors help you become a confident, competent driver, ready to pass the driving test.