Parallel Parking: How to Get It Right Every Time

If parallel parking makes you nervous, you’re not alone. Many drivers find this tricky parking technique a little daunting, especially inexperienced drivers who might have only recently taken their first car off the Kia dealership lot and fear scraping the paintwork. But by practicing the correct sequence of steps a few times, you’ll find that parking in small gaps between other vehicles becomes rather like tying your shoelaces: an easy, effortless habit. Let’s look at how to do it well.

Stop Beside the Car in Front

The very first step is to position yourself directly parallel to the parked car at the front of the gap: the car in front. You’ll need to leave a two-foot gap between you and the car in front. More than a three-foot gap is too far and will make parking unnecessarily difficult.

Check Your Mirrors

Before you begin reversing, scan carefully for oncoming vehicles. Check your mirrors and also glance back into your blind spots. If you see cars approaching in your lane, wait until they’ve passed before you begin.

Signal the Maneuver

Signal that you’re about to turn right, so oncoming vehicles know what you’re doing. After signaling, check your mirrors once more. You can never be too cautious.

Begin Backing Up

Look over your right shoulder, so you can clearly see the parked cars and the gap. Then begin to slowly reverse. As you do, gently turn the steering wheel to the right, which will steer your car’s rear into the gap.

Straighten Up

As you enter the gap, when the rear of your car is moving directly toward the curb, straighten the steering wheel. Keep backing up slowly, glancing at the car parked in front to ensure that you’re not getting too close.

Turn the Steering Wheel to the Left

Once your front bumper becomes level with the rear bumper of the car parked in front, it’s time to turn your steering wheel to the left. This will curve your reversal, so you become parallel with the curb. Continue slowly edging backward until you’ve gone as far as you can without risking touching the rear parked car.

Edge to the Center of the Gap

Lastly, move forward until your car is directly between the two parked cars, with an even gap at both ends. If you’re not close enough to the curb at this point, you can edge forward and backward as much as you like to get closer to the curb. But with practice, you’ll find these final adjustments aren’t necessary. You’ll be getting it just right every time.

Ask for Tips at Your Local Kia Dealer

The friendly staff at a good dealership are always happy to talk about all things related to cars. You’ll find them generous with parking or driving advice. If you need more extensive guidance, you can always hire a local driving instructor to give you a few lessons and polish those parking skills.

Visit Our Kia Car Dealership in Lanham, MD

For any Kia servicing or purchasing needs you have, visit DARCARS Lanham Kia. The staff at our Kia dealership is welcoming, knowledgeable, and always happy to help.

Tags: How to Parallel Park, Parallel Parking Steps
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