How Can Beginners Improve Their Reversing Skills?
4 Answers
Key points for beginners to improve reversing skills include: 1. Keep the speed slow. Control the throttle and maintain a steady speed while reversing. 2. Frequently check the rearview mirrors and look back to assess the situation behind the vehicle. In addition to using the rearview mirrors, turning your head to look at the road can help judge the conditions behind the car. 3. Find fixed reference points on the car body. Use fixed points on the car body or parking space as markers, and compare these markers with the garage position to adjust the reversing direction. 4. Practice more. Through continuous practice, become proficient in operating the vehicle, accumulate experience, and identify the reference points and methods that suit your reversing habits.
When I first got my driver's license, I practiced reversing by drawing a box in an empty parking lot as a parking space. The key is to go slow! When shifting into reverse, gently place your left foot on the brake and keep your right foot off the accelerator—speed control is far more important than steering. Adjust the rearview mirror downward to see the ground markings, and find two fixed reference points like a lamppost and a tree, then adjust the car's position by focusing on them. I practiced for fifteen minutes every day after work. In the first two days, I kept crossing the lines, but later I realized that turning the wheel half a turn in advance could correct it. Remember to roll down the window to listen to ambient sounds—once I almost hit a child's scooter, but thankfully I heard the wheels in time. Now I can usually reverse into a spot in one go. Practice really does make perfect.
Last time when I accompanied my cousin to practice reversing, I realized there are quite a few techniques. First, I taught her the roles of the three mirrors: the middle one shows directly behind, while the left and right mirrors help see the parking space lines. For sedans, use the lower edge of the rear window as a reference; for SUVs, look at the spare tire cover position. During practice, don’t rely on the camera system—place two cones at the rear left and right, and observe the distance changes between them in the rearview mirror while reversing. Steer steadily—if the rear drifts left, correct by turning the wheel half a turn left. On rainy days, practice judging distances using mirror reflections in the garage. After sticking to 20 minutes of practice daily for a week, she now parks in parallel spaces more smoothly than I do.
The driving instructor taught me some very practical reversing tips: During the preparation stage, walk around the car to check for obstacles and adjust the seat so there's a fist's distance between your head and the roof. Turn on the hazard lights before starting to alert vehicles behind you, and don't rush to turn the steering wheel. When the left rearview mirror aligns with the front corner of the parking space, immediately turn the steering wheel fully until the car body forms a 45-degree angle, then straighten it. The key is to control the clutch like stepping on an egg—the slower, the more accurate. After work, practice in the neighborhood using trash cans as reference points, transitioning from empty spaces to actual parking spots. During the beginner phase, avoid angled parking spaces and focus first on mastering the most common perpendicular ones.
