Does the Front of the Car Touching the Line During Reverse Parking in Subject 2 Result in Deduction?
3 Answers
Touching the line with the car body is considered as the car body crossing the line, which results in a 100-point deduction, making the test unsuccessful. Other actions that also result in a 100-point deduction include crossing the line with the car body, not completing the parking, stopping midway, not following the prescribed route, not following the sequence, and exceeding the time limit. The total score for both subjects is 100 points, with evaluation criteria set for failure, 20-point deduction, 10-point deduction, and 5-point deduction. The rules for the Subject 2 driving test for obtaining a motor vehicle driver's license state that any of the following actions will result in failure: stopping midway during the test, rolling back, not following the voice prompts, wheels crossing the line, or the car body touching the line. Many learners encounter the issue of touching the line during Subject 2 training, and the most common mistake leading to failure is "touching the line." The main reason for wheels touching the line is that learners fail to master the correct timing for steering. Besides missing the right moment to steer, another reason could be that the steering speed does not match the car's speed. Subject 2 Deduction Criteria: Not wearing a seatbelt: 100-point deduction. Starting the engine without the gear in neutral: 100-point deduction. Not using turn signals (including starting, changing lanes, overtaking, turning, and parking); using turn signals for less than three seconds (note that this is easily overlooked!); forgetting to turn off turn signals or using them incorrectly: 10-point deduction. Stalling once: 10-point deduction. Reverse Parking: Not following the prescribed route sequence: 100-point deduction. Car body crossing the line: 100-point deduction. Not completing the parking: 100-point deduction. Before reversing, not ensuring both front wheels pass the control line: 100-point deduction. Exceeding the 210-second time limit for the task: 100-point deduction. Stopping for more than 2 seconds midway: 5-point deduction each time. Slope Parking and Starting: After stopping, if the front bumper is not aligned with the pole line and exceeds 50 cm forward or backward: 100-point deduction. After stopping, if the front bumper is not aligned with the pole line but does not exceed 50 cm forward or backward: 10-point deduction. After stopping, if the starting time exceeds 30 seconds: 100-point deduction. Wheels touching the road edge line while driving: 100-point deduction. Rolling back more than 30 cm when starting: 100-point deduction. After stopping, if the car body is more than 50 cm from the road edge line: 100-point deduction. Not tightening the parking brake after stopping: 10-point deduction per occurrence. After stopping, if the car body is more than 30 cm but less than 50 cm from the road edge line: 10-point deduction per occurrence. Rolling back more than 10 cm but less than 30 cm when starting: 5-point deduction per occurrence. Parallel Parking: After parking, if the car body crosses the line: 100-point deduction. Not using or incorrectly using turn signals when parking: 10-point deduction. Exceeding the 90-second time limit for the task: 100-point deduction. Car body touching the parking space edge line while driving: 10-point deduction per occurrence. Wheels touching the lane edge line while driving: 10-point deduction per occurrence. Stopping for more than 2 seconds midway: 5-point deduction per occurrence. 90-Degree Turn: Wheels touching the road edge line: 100-point deduction. Not using or incorrectly using turn signals during the turn, or not turning off turn signals after the turn: 10-point deduction. Stopping for more than 2 seconds midway: 5-point deduction per occurrence. Curve Driving: Wheels touching the road edge line: 100-point deduction. Stopping for more than 2 seconds midway: 100-point deduction. Not driving in second gear or above: 5-point deduction.
I just passed the Subject 2 test not long ago, and I did get points deducted for the front of the car sweeping the line during reverse parking. The instructor emphasized that the exam rules are very strict—any part of the car touching the line counts as a mistake, with a deduction of at least 10 points. I was nervous and turned the steering wheel too sharply, causing the front of the car to graze the side line, resulting in an immediate 10-point deduction. Luckily, I didn’t make mistakes in other sections and barely passed. During daily practice, the key is to align reference points using the rearview mirrors—relying on feel for the front of the car’s position isn’t very reliable. Try a few more times to find the right timing for alignment. When parking, keep the speed slow and the steering wheel steady, especially during the final adjustment phase—don’t rush the angle. Before the test, it’s helpful to practice with different car sizes to account for variations, or record your own operations on your phone to review mistakes later. A small trick to avoid sweeping the line: when reversing, glance at the rear position of the car first to estimate the front position, which reduces the chance of errors.
As a long-time instructor for novice drivers, touching the line with the front of the car during reverse parking will definitely result in point deductions. The Category 2 driving test strictly requires precise vehicle positioning, and touching the line indicates inaccurate alignment. In my teaching experience, I often see students overlook the dynamic movement of the car's front—even a slight steering wheel deviation at the final stage of parking can cause the line to be touched. The scoring rule states that touching either the outer or inner line will deduct more than 10 points, and repeated mistakes lead to failure. Practice method: Use fixed reference points, such as aligning the window corner with the parking spot corner, to position the car's front direction. Additionally, maintain an extremely slow speed, avoid sudden braking, and ensure a smooth trajectory. From a safety perspective, touching the line indicates potential parking misalignment risks. The test aims to cultivate precise control. Regularly check backup radars or cameras for assistance, but don’t rely on them—during the test, optimal judgment depends solely on visual assessment.
