How to park in reverse
9 minute read Published on Nov 1, 2024 by BrokerLink Communications
Reverse parking looks challenging at first, but you shouldn’t knock until you try it. Whether you’re a new driver preparing for your driving test or brushing up on your skills, learning how to park in reverse can be helpful. Backing into a parking space makes it easier to leave later and is much safer than backing out. It gives you a better field of vision, allowing you to safely manoeuvre around other vehicles and objects.
When you reverse park, you might be worried about having a wheel outside the lines — this will definitely happen the first time you try! However, if you practice in a quiet parking lot, you will be able to safely make your way into a car parking space with ease. With that said, we know having instructions can make a difference. Here is our comprehensive guide to all things reverse parking.
Mastering reverse parking
How do you reverse park? Backing into a parking space might seem challenging, depending on how you look at it. Despite this, reversing into parking spots isn’t as complicated for you as you think. By following our step-by-step guide, you can make your way into the tightest empty parking spot. Let’s dive in below:
Step 1: Find an empty parking spot
First, you should find an empty parking spot to back into. Ideally, you should look for a parking space where there isn’t a car on either side of it. This will reduce your chances of colliding with other vehicles. If you can’t, try choosing a space with one car beside it. However, if it’s your first time trying to reverse park, you should practice in an empty parking lot first to avoid any mishaps.
Step 2: Drive in front of the spot
Once you have chosen a parking spot, you should drive right in front of you. The rear bumper of your vehicle should be slightly in front of the space. This will give you plenty of time to adjust yourself while reverse parking. It’s important to end up straight, which is why you need to pull forward enough to give yourself enough room.
Step 3: Activate your turn signal
Before shifting gear into reverse, you need to let other vehicles know what you’re doing. That’s why it’s essential to turn on your left or right turn signal depending on the direction in which you are reverse parking.
Step 4: Let other drivers know what you’re doing
At the same time, you should be looking around. Check for vehicles in front of and behind you, along with pedestrians, by using your mirrors. This is true whether you’re parking in a public parking stall or your own driveway.
Step 5: Start reversing
Once you know the way is clear, you can start to reverse park. Slowly begin to turn your steering wheel to the right as you reverse. The purpose of turning your steering wheel is to get your rear bumper and the back of your car into the parking space straight.
Step 6: Keep moving backwards
As you back into the parking spot, you should continue turning your steering wheel. Keep doing this as you make your way into the parking space. Look at your left and right side mirrors to ensure you don’t collide with other vehicles on either side of you.
Step 7: Straighten your steering wheel
After aligning your car with the parking space, you should straighten your steering wheel as you keep backing into the spot. The front of your vehicle should match the vehicles next to you in the row. Ensure you are not crossing over into other parking spots while blocking the aisle or hitting the curb or vehicle behind you.
Step 8: Park your car
Now you know how to reverse park. All you have to do is shift your car into park and get out of your vehicle. Step out and ensure you are safely in the spot. If you have to, straighten your vehicle if you are crooked.
Reverse parking doesn’t have to be challenging. In fact, if you follow our simple steps, your front and rear tires will be straight. It doesn’t matter whether there’s one car or two beside you when you use the proper technique. Remember to park in a legal space to avoid invalidating your car insurance. Next, we will discuss reverse angle parking, which uses a slightly different technique.
Reverse angle parking
Not all parking spaces are straight. Sometimes, you have to park on an angle. Luckily, the reversing into this type of parking spot isn’t much different. Let us walk you through the process to help you understand how to reverse-angle park below:
Step 1: Find a reverse-angle parking space
You should begin by looking for a reverse-angle parking stall. Once you find an empty space, you should slow down and activate your turn signal to let other drivers know you are going to reverse park. When approaching, you should ensure you are at least one vehicle width from the parked vehicles.
Step 2: Start reverse parking
Your back bumper should be parallel to the parked car ahead of your space’s driver-side rear bumper. Next, stop and shift your vehicle into reverse. Start turning your steering wheel sharply while slowly reversing toward the centre of the spot. Check your mirrors and look over your shoulder to avoid hitting other vehicles.
Step 3: Straighten out
After centring yourself in the parking space, straighten your wheels and keep reversing until you are safely stopped. Then, shift your gear into park and exit your vehicle.
Parking lots aren’t always full of straight lines. That’s why learning to reverse slowly into an angled parking spot matters. Life is unpredictable, and you can find yourself in different parking situations every day. That’s why you should know how to reverse parallel park, which we will review next.
Reverse parallel parking
When you parallel park, you will almost always have to back up. That’s why it’s essential to understand how to reverse parallel park. You will often find yourself in this type of scenario if you live in a big city where the streets are lined with cars. Here’s what you need to know:
Step 1: Find a spot to parallel park
Begin by finding a spot to parallel park in. This is most often on the street. Look for a place that’s at least one and a half times the length of your car to ensure you have enough room.
Step 2: Take a look around and signal
Next, you should slow down, check your right blind spot and pull next to the spot you intend to park behind. You should be at least one metre away from it.
Step 3: Align your vehicle
When you reverse parallel park, your passenger-side (right) mirror should be parallel with the other vehicle’s driver’s side (left) mirror.
Step 4: Begin reversing
Shift your gear into reverse while checking your mirrors and blind spot. Start turning the wheel counter-clockwise while checking your side mirrors to ensure you are a safe distance away from the other vehicle.
Step 5: Keep reversing
Continue backing into the parking space until the back of your car is close to the curb and not too far from the car behind you. Once you are in the spot, you can turn your wheels clockwise to straighten your front wheels.
Step 6: Move forward
Lastly, you should move forward a little bit. Ensure your wheels are straight and finish the parking job.
If you need to purchasecar insurance in Toronto, you likely have to know how to park parallel. On busy streets, there aren’t as many options for parking. Parking tickets won’t affect your insurance rates or give you demerit points. However, you’ll still have to parallel park at some point, but you should never park near a stop sign. We will review why you should reverse park in general next.
Reasons to Reverse Park
By following our simple steps, you can reverse park with ease. It doesn’t matter whether you are in a smaller or larger lot. Our advice can help you enter and exit a parking space with ease. Here are some of the reasons for following our directions and learning how to park in reverse:
It’s safer
One of the best reasons to back into space is safety. When you pull forward into a space, you are putting yourself at a higher risk for an accident. This is due to reduced visibility, which isn’t the case when you back into and pull out of a spot. You are less likely to hit other vehicles or pedestrians when you don’t have to back into oncoming traffic later.
Easier to see when you leave
If you practice consistently, you’ll be able to reverse park with ease. Many drivers overlook the importance of visibility in parking lots. However, when you reverse into a parking space, you can see better when you exit the spot. This allows you to see approaching vehicles and pedestrians, which can reduce stress for new drivers.
Simple to adjust
When you pull forward into a parking spot, you don’t have as much time to manoeuvre your vehicle. This is because you have to sharply turn your steering wheel to get into a space quickly. However, you have more time to get into tight parking spots when reverse parking. When shifting into reverse gear, you can take your time to observe everything around you before safely parking.
Prepares you for emergencies
In an emergency, you might have to leave a parking spot quickly. Backing out quickly while looking over your shoulder can be dangerous, even with the help of a backup camera. If you have to get out of somewhere fast, you will take longer if you have to back up, which will, in turn, delay other drivers. This is especially true if all customers have to evacuate a business’s parking lot at the same time.
Makes you a better driver
New drivers might feel intimidated by the thought of reverse parking. Despite this, it’s important for them to remember that backing into parking spaces, even with the help of a backup camera, can make them better drivers. This is because the more you do it, the less likely it is for you to hit someone else’s car. In turn, you reduce your chances of getting into a parking lot accident.
You have to be careful when you’re parking because if you don’t have the right insurance coverage, your claim can get denied. There isn’t a reason to take this risk. That’s why you should be careful on the road and in parking lots to avoid affecting your driver’s licence status. So switch on your parking lights and back into a spot.
Contact BrokerLink for all your insurance needs
Are you safely in your parking spot? Is the parking brake on? Great! If you are, you probably have learned how to reverse slowly and safely into a parking spot. It’s a helpful skill to have to keep you safe on and off the road, such as car insurance and parked car insurance. Speaking of which, you have to purchase a valid policy to drive on the road regardless of how you park. That’s where a BrokerLink broker can help you out.
Before you purchase an insurance policy, you should be aware of the various types of coverage available. It’s important to note that not all types of coverage are mandatory, but may still be helpful. With that said, you should still consult with a broker to determine which ones suit your needs. The common types of coverage include:
- Third-party liability coverage
- Accident benefits coverage
- Direct compensation - property damage coverage
- Uninsured automobile coverage
- Collision coverage
- Comprehensive coverage
- Accident forgiveness coverage
Whether you’re backing into a parking spot or driving down a busy highway, it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry. That’s why you need a car insurance policy that suits your needs and budget. How do you find one? Well, you can contact a BrokerLink broker by calling, using our online quote tool or visiting one of our community branches across Canada today.