Learning to park is one of those essential driving skills, but it can be tricky, especially if you're new behind the wheel or haven't had much practice in busy areas. Sure, parking in your own driveway is easy, but sooner or later, you'll need to tackle parking in different settings, such as a parking lot. In parking lots, you may be up against perpendicular, angled, or parallel parking, and they all require different steps.
If parking your car perfectly in a parking lot feels like a challenge or you're unsure where to start, don't worry—we'll guide you through it step by step.
Four steps to help you park straight
Perpendicular parking spots are the ones set at a 90-degree angle to the curb, and you’ll come across them pretty often in parking lots. You can pull into these spots from either the left or right. Let’s say you’ve chosen a parking spot to your right, here's what you should do:
1. Align your vehicle
As you approach the open parking space, try to stay as far to the opposite side as possible so you’ve got more room to make the turn. Stop when your front bumper lines up with the edge of the space. If you want to double-check that you’re in the right position, look out your passenger-side window, and your shoulder should line up with the line of the parking space just before the one you're aiming for. Check to make sure the parking space is clear of any obstructions, like shopping carts or debris.
2. Begin turning
Turn on your right turn signal to let other drivers know you're about to pull into the spot. Then, gently lift your foot off the brake to start moving forward. As you do, begin turning the wheel hand over hand in the direction you want to go. Try to aim the front of your car toward the middle or far side of the space, so you’ll have enough room to straighten out as you finish parking.
3. Pull into the parking space
Slowly pull forward into the space, keeping your steering wheel turned so your car straightens out between the lines. You can check if you’re in by lining up your side mirrors with the cars next to you. When your car is parallel to the vehicles parked on either side of you, straighten your steering wheel and park your car.
Also, make sure your car is fully inside the space without sticking out. If you have a backup camera, you can put the car in reverse while holding the brake to double-check that you've pulled up far enough.
4. Make sure you’re centred
Take a moment to check that you're centred between the lines and have enough room to open your car doors. If you’re too close to one side, just back out slowly and pull back in, turning the wheel a little to get your car lined up in the middle of the spot.
Four steps to help you park on an angle
Parking spaces angled at 45 degrees to the curb are known as angle parking spots. Except for a few cases, like on one-way streets, you’ll always enter an angled parking space from the right. Here's what you should do:
1. Align your vehicle
Line up your front bumper with the first line of the parking space, and try to stay about 1.5 metres away from the ends of the spaces when parking at an angle. Once your bumper is aligned with the edge of the parking space, stop. Check to make sure the parking space is clear of any obstructions, like shopping carts or debris.
2. Begin turning
Turn on your right signal to let other vehicles behind you know you're about to take the spot. Then, turn the wheel about halfway and ease off the brakes to slowly pull forward and into the space. Keep the wheel turned so your car angles into the space without going over the lines. Aim for the middle of the parking spot to leave an even amount of space on both sides of your car.
3. Straighten your wheels
When you're about halfway into a space, straighten out your wheels. As soon as your car is approximately half of the way in, turn the steering wheel back to its original position to get your tires aligned. Keep pulling forward until your vehicle is fully in the spot, and double-check that you're not hanging over the front, back, or sides.
4. Make sure you’re centred
Take a moment to make sure you're positioned evenly between the lines and have enough space to open your car doors. If you're too close to one side, simply back out slowly and pull in again, adjusting the wheel slightly to center your car in the parking spot.
Four steps to help you parallel park
Finally, the last type of parking space you may run into in a parking lot is a parallel parking space. Many drivers go out of their way to avoid parallel parking, but there’s no reason to be anxious about it. It just takes some practice. Here's what you need to do:
1. Align your vehicle
Turn on your right turn signal and position your car parallel to the one in front of the open spot, keeping about a meter of space between the two vehicles. Stop when your rear bumper is aligned with theirs, then put your car in reverse.
2. Reverse slowly
Make sure the coast is clear by checking your mirrors and blind spots, then slowly back up about half a meter in a straight line. Once your seat lines up with the rear of the car next to you, turn the steering wheel smoothly and quickly to the right, aiming toward the parking space. Keep backing up until your car is at roughly a 45-degree angle as you start to ease into the spot.
3. Slowly straighten your steering wheel
As you keep backing up and your car's rear is mostly in the spot, start turning the wheel to the left, back toward the road. A good time to do this is when your front bumper lines up with the rear bumper of the car in front or when the licence plate of the car ahead is centred in your windshield. This final turn will guide your car fully into space and straighten it out at the same time.
4. Centre yourself
Once you're in the spot, you might need to make a few small adjustments to get centred and ensure your car is parallel to the curb. Move forward or back until you have an even amount of space in front and behind. Be sure there's enough room for the other cars to pull out so you'll have an easy time getting out when it's time to leave. Also, check your passenger side mirror to make sure you're not too far from the curb.
Tips for parking in a parking lot
Driving and parking aren’t just about sticking to the rules. While both drivers and pedestrians should practice defensive driving to avoid the occasional parking lot accident, things run much more smoothly when everyone is courteous and pays attention. Here are some tips to help you out:
Park between the lines
Park properly by straightening your car and making sure it's evenly between the lines of your chosen spot. Parking evenly makes it much easier to get in and out of your car and load bags, and it helps you and your neighbours avoid door dings.
Park in the right spot
Whether a spot is reserved for disabled drivers, expectant mothers, electric vehicles, or employees or is open to everyone, always make sure you’re parking in a spot meant for you. Parking lots are designed to accommodate all types of drivers, so don’t park in a spot that prevents someone else from using it who actually needs it. By following the rules, you show respect to other drivers, keep things safe, and even avoid expensive parking tickets.
Don’t be that guy—only use one parking spot
It might seem obvious, but be sure not to take up more than one parking spot when you park. You're using a space that someone else could need. Don’t park diagonally in a perpendicular parking spot. If you want to avoid other cars parking too close to your vehicle, park near the back of the parking lot.
Parking lots have right-of-way rules
Just like you have to follow the right-of-way rules on the road, it’s the law to follow them in parking lots to help you avoid an accident. For example, when exiting a parking space, you must yield to oncoming traffic. You must also obey all traffic signs and speed limits in the parking lot. Another is that drivers in lanes that lead directly onto a main road or highway have the right of way over those in lanes that don't.
How car insurance protects you in a parking lot
Now that we’ve covered how to park in a parking lot, let’s talk about how having the right car insurance can protect you.
The truth about parking lot accidents is that they are actually pretty common. You might even believe that parking lot accidents are handled differently from regular car accidents or hit-and-run incidents because they happen on private property, but that’s not true. They’re treated the same way as any other accident, which means having the right insurance is absolutely essential. Essential types of insurance to protect you in a parking lot accident include:
Liability insurance
Let’s say, for example, you’re turning into a parking spot, and you misjudge the distance and hit a parked car. Or, you’re reversing out of a parking spot, and you back up too far or too fast, hitting the vehicle behind you. This puts you at fault for the accident and damage, and your mandatory third-party liability insurance would kick in to cover the cost of repairing the other person’s vehicle.
Collision coverage
But what if your car is also damaged? If liability coverage covers the other person’s vehicle, what covers yours? This is where you want to have collision coverage. Collision coverage is optional, but most people still add it to their policies because it covers the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle when you’re involved in a collision with another vehicle or a stationary object, like a tree or a light pole.
Accident forgiveness coverage
Having optional accident forgiveness coverage can also be beneficial if you find yourself at fault for an accident in a parking lot. If this is your first at-fault accident, this coverage can protect your insurance premiums from increasing, basically “forgiving” you in the eyes of your insurer for your first accident.
Uninsured motorist coverage
Now, what if you’re parked in a parking lot, and you come out to find your car was damaged? It has obvious signs that someone hit your vehicle, but there’s no sign of the at-fault driver, and they haven’t left a contact card under your windshield wiper. This collision would fall under a hit-and-run, and this is where uninsured motorist coverage kicks in. This coverage protects you if the other driver doesn’t have insurance, doesn’t have enough insurance, or if they flee the scene and cannot be later identified.
Comprehensive coverage
Finally, let’s talk about optional comprehensive coverage, otherwise known as parked car insurance. Comprehensive coverage is another coverage that most people willingly add to their insurance policies because it basically protects you from everything else that collision coverage doesn’t—fire, weather damage, falling objects, theft, and vandalism. If you walk out to your car and find that someone smashed through one of your windows or, even worse, that the car itself was stolen, your comprehensive coverage will kick in to cover the cost of replacing or repairing it.
Do you have questions about your car insurance? BrokerLink can help
After learning about how to park in a parking lot and how having the right car insurance can protect you, you may have some questions about your own car insurance—like whether you’re fully covered. Here’s where BrokerLink can help.
Our brokers are here to answer any insurance questions you have, whether it's about how much coverage you have or if you need help with an insurance claim. We can even explain how you might be unintentionally invalidating your coverage.
You can get in touch with us by phone, email, or in person at any of our locations across Canada. Plus, you can easily get free car insurance quotes by using our online quote tool today.
Get an auto insurance quote [phone]
