Here is some parallel-parking advice culled from the Delaware Driver Manual. You may want to pass this along to your drivers as a friendly reminder.

When you’re parking on a two-way highway, park parallel to and within 12 inches of the curb or edge of the highway.

The steps for parallel parking are:

• Check for traffic in your rearview mirror. If a car behind you is following too closely, do not stop suddenly. Continue driving and find another space. Stopping suddenly with a car behind you may result in a rear-end collision.

• Put on your turn signal to warn other drivers that you intend to park.

• Signal and stop with the back end of your vehicle even with the back of the vehicle in front of the place you want to park.

• Back slowly, turning your steering wheel to the right to aim the back of your car toward the front of the one behind you.

• As the front of your car clears the back of the car in front of you, turn your wheels sharply to the left and continue backing slowly until the back of your car almost touches the car behind you.

• Straighten your wheels and pull forward to center the car in the parking space. Your car should be no more than 12 inches from the curb. Put the transmission in park and set the brake. Turn off the engine.

• To park by the left-hand curb on a one-way street, follow the same directions but reverse right and left in the instructions.

• If your car has a manual transmission, leave it in low gear when parked and headed uphill. Leave it in reverse when parked and headed downhill. This will help prevent a crash if your emergency or parking brake should fail.

• To leave a parallel parking space, signal your move. Watch for traffic and turn your steering wheel towards the open lane, easing your way out into traffic.

0 Comments