In this article we explain how to parallel park, how to bay park and how to park at an angle.
Safe parking keeps you, pedestrians and cyclists safe. It also keeps your vehicle and other people’s free from annoying knocks.
If your car needs to go in for accident repairs, it can inconvenience you, and you might need to wait for replacement travel. So, here are some helpful parking tips, including a handy parking checklist for all your journeys.
- Our top tips for safe parking
- How to park safely in any parking space
- How to bay park safely
- How to parallel park safely
- How to angle park safely
- Your handy parking checklist
Whether you’re at the supermarket, parking locally or on a trip, these quick tips can help you park with more confidence and keep everyone around you safe too.
Check your surroundings carefully
The first thing to consider is what’s around you, The best way to spot vehicles and pedestrians is to check, then check again. Use your mirrors, look at your blind spot, and check again often.
Today’s cars have handy technology to help make this easier, like rear-view cameras, so you can see what’s behind you. Use the technology you have but try not to fully rely on it.
Park away from pedestrians, if you can
It’s not always easy to spot pedestrians near your car. Sometimes people walk between rows of parked cars at the supermarket, which can make it seem like they’ve suddenly come out of nowhere.
If you have a choice, choose a parking spot away from lots of pedestrians. You’ll make your day simpler and theirs safer.
Skip those tight or poorly lit spaces
It can be tempting to grab that last tight squeeze of a parking spot, but often there’s a reason no one wants it. Trying to wedge your vehicle in will raise your chances of a knock and make it tough for you to open your door and get out. Leave those tiny spaces for the smallest cars.
Similarly, it can be difficult to see what you’re doing in a poorly lit area. You might not see a post, or even glass on the floor. Try to find a spot with good lighting instead.
Well lit parking spaces offer better safety and enhanced visibility © Getty / tifonimages
Stay mindful of the angle
It’s important you consider the angles of a space before you try to park in it. Some parking spaces, like a space that’s on an angle (angle spaces), are only supposed to be driven into forwards and reversed out of in a certain direction. We’ll explain angle spaces in more detail later in this article.
Is it safer to reverse into a parking space?
It’s generally safer to reverse into a parking space, as it means you’ll have much better visibility when you’re leaving that space. You’ll have more control over the car too, and less chance you’ll hit an unseen obstacle or pedestrian.
Of course, it’s not always convenient to reverse into a parking space, particularly if you have a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV), or if you need to get a wheelchair or equipment out of the boot.
No matter the type of space you’re parking in, knowing the safest way to approach it can make a big difference, for your confidence and for those around you. In this section, we cover how to bay park, parallel park and angle park.
What is bay parking?
Bay parking is manoeuvring your car into a bay that’s usually marked with white lines. It might sound simple, but it can be daunting for new drivers. And there’s an art to getting it right.
There are two types of bay parking: reverse bay parking and forward bay parking. The main type of parking bay is a perpendicular bay (at a 90-degree angle).
How to bay park safely
Bay parking can be stressful if there are lots of cars and people around. We’ve broken down how you can bay park safely to help keep you and others safe.
- Make sure the spot is wide and deep enough to fit your vehicle
- Position your car on the left-hand side of the road or parking area, leaving as wide a turning circle as you can, to enter the bay
- Indicate and check your mirrors. Look out for any pedestrians, cyclists or vehicles, especially in your blind spots. This is extra important if you’re in a busy car park. If you see a pedestrian, stop and wait for them to pass
- Drive forward slowly until the first line of the bay lines up just below your wing mirror. Then check your mirror and blind spots again
- Turn your wheel to a full lock and edge into the space
- As you enter, straighten up your steering until the second bay line lines up just underneath your right wing mirror
- One handy tip is to look at the bay lines of the space opposite, and use these as a rough guide
Forward bay parking makes it easier to get in, but you’ll make it harder for yourself when you’re leaving your spot.
When you’re reversing out, look around often, in case someone suddenly appears. When you’re about a third of the way out your space, turn your wheel into a full lock, in the correct direction. Continue until you’re confident you’re out, then drive away safely.
If you’re parking in a bay on a busy street, look out for lamp posts, as you could knock your door on these when you get out. And stay aware of how much room you’re leaving for cars to get by. No one likes to be the person who blocks the flow of traffic.
Reversing into a parking space is generally safer than driving in © Getty
What is parallel parking?
Parallel parking is parking with the side of your car facing the kerb. It’s trickier than other kinds of parking, which is why you’ll find it on driving tests. That’s because you need to swing your car backwards into the spot, without scraping the side of your car or someone else’s.
It can also be dangerous because you need to stop in a stream of traffic, which might mean people need to drive around you. And cyclists could filter down your left side when you’re making the manoeuvre.
How to parallel park safely
We can all remember the process of learning how to parallel park on our driving test. It’s easy to forget how to do so safely if you have not parallel parked in a while. Here are the key steps:
- Make sure the parking space is big enough
- Indicate and pull up alongside it, with a minimum of two feet either side of your car
- Edge forward slowly, until your passenger window lines up with the end of the car in front of your space
- Check your mirrors and your blind spots
- Once you’re happy it’s safe, start reversing slowly. Look behind you, over your left shoulder and through the rear windscreen
- Check your blind spot on your right side, as your car’s about to swing out a little
- Turn the steering wheel one complete turn to the left
- Start reversing slowly. Use the nearside mirror to check where the kerb is, and the rear mirror to check where the car behind is
- Once you see the kerb in your nearside mirror and you’re clear of the vehicle in front, stop your car and start turning your wheel to the right. The trick is to use fast steering but slow reversing, to bring your car where it needs to be
- Straighten up if you need to, by moving forward and backwards a little
- Never park too close to the vehicle behind, because if someone parks too close in front of you, you’ll be trapped in
What is angle parking?
Angle parking is parking in a diagonal bay (at a 45-degree angle), designed so you can easily drive in forward. These are also called echelon parking bays. They’re common in high-traffic areas and sometimes near local parks.
You need to be aware how traffic around you is behaving for these, as you’ll have limited-to- no vision of the road as you reverse out.
How to angle park safely
Last but not least, let’s run through the steps to a safe angle park.
- Make sure the parking spot is big enough. That means at least 0.5 metres on each side, so you can get out of your car
- Drive in slowly, at an angle, within the white lines
- Turn and align your wheels so they’re straight. This will make it easier when you leave
- Open your doors carefully when you get out
- When you’re ready to leave the parking space, it’s important you reverse out using the same angle you came in. If you try to reverse in the opposite direction, you’ll likely hit the car next to you
Print or screenshot this, so you can keep it to hand in your vehicle:
- Check, then check again: look at your mirrors and blind spots before you move, and regularly while you’re moving. It’s the only way you’ll see people or vehicles who might suddenly appear
- It’s safest to reverse into a space: it’ll make it simpler and safer for you to drive away, when you leave
- When you’re parking in a perpendicular bay, look at the lines of the space opposite: you can use these as a rough guide to know whether you’re straight in your space
- When you’re parallel parking, never park too close to the vehicle behind: if someone parks too close in front of you, you’ll be trapped in
- In an angle space, it’s important you reverse out using the same angle you came in: if you try to reverse in the opposite direction, you’re very likely to hit the car next to you
Remember, it’s about keeping everyone safe, including you. And about keeping your vehicle with you and out of the repair shop, so you can keep getting to your appointments or wherever you need to be.
Loop these tips and tricks into your daily driving habits and you’ll be far less likely to end the day logging an insurance claim. And happier for it.
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If you receive a qualifying mobility allowance you can use it to lease a vehicle, Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV), scooter or powered wheelchair on the Motability Scheme.
You’ll get a brand-new vehicle and our all-inclusive package. We cover your insurance, servicing, maintenance and breakdown. And we’ll support you with charging, if you get an electric vehicle.
Check to see if you’re eligible.
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