Can You Adjust by Moving Forward During the Reverse Parking Test in Subject Two?
3 Answers
Reverse parking does not allow adjustment by moving forward. The relevant explanations are as follows: Introduction: Reverse parking is a mandatory test item for obtaining a small car driver's license after 2013, assessing the driver's ability to maneuver the vehicle in a designated area. Reverse parking is one of the assessment points in the driver's test. It involves correctly reversing the vehicle into the garage from both sides while in motion. Additional Information: Subject Two, also known as the small road test, is part of the motor vehicle driver's license assessment and refers to the field driving skills test. The test items for small cars (C1/C2) include reverse parking, parallel parking, stopping and starting on a slope, turning at a right angle, and driving through curves (commonly known as S-turns), with these five being mandatory (some regions may include a sixth item, high-speed card collection).
After all these years as a driving instructor, I can tell you that adjusting position by moving forward is absolutely not allowed during the reverse parking test in Subject 2. The exam rules clearly state that you must reverse into the parking space in one go—any forward movement will result in point deductions or even an immediate failure. This test specifically evaluates your precision and control in reverse parking. If you develop a habit of adjusting by moving forward during practice, you're likely to make that mistake subconsciously during the exam, leading to a retake. I advise students to practice finding reference points, such as observing the parking space corner lines in the rearview mirror and adjusting the steering wheel angle, rather than relying on moving forward. While you can be more flexible in real driving, the exam is a strict threshold—only through thorough practice can you pass in one attempt. Don’t cut corners; spend more time simulating exam scenarios to improve your pass rate.
Last year when I was taking the driving test, the reverse parking in Subject 2 really gave me a hard time. At first, I thought I could make slight adjustments by moving forward a bit, but the instructor immediately scolded me, saying it wasn't allowed. During the exam, the examiner watched closely—if the car moved forward even a tiny bit, they'd deduct 10 points right away, or even fail you outright in severe cases. A friend of mine failed because of this, wasting one attempt. Later, I practiced every day, relying solely on reversing and steering wheel adjustments to position the car, and finally mastered the technique. My advice to beginners is to make good use of the rearview mirrors to observe the distance between the rear of the car and the parking lines, and avoid thinking about moving forward. In real driving, you can adjust freely when reversing into a spot, but the test is about testing fundamental skills—you have to follow the rules strictly. Practice a few more times, find the right feel, and you'll get through it smoothly.
