How Many Seconds for Reverse Parking?
2 Answers
Reverse parking must not exceed 210 seconds. Rule Explanation: According to the "Motor Vehicle Driver Examination Content and Methods" implemented on October 1, 2017, the time limit for reverse parking must not exceed 210 seconds. The new "Motor Vehicle Driver Examination Content and Methods" standard introduced time limits for certain test items. For example, in Subject 2, reverse parking and parallel parking, the previous standard only specified specific operational procedures, while the new standard added time limits for completing these operations. Among them, reverse parking must be completed within 210 seconds, and parallel parking must be completed within 90 seconds. Exceeding these time limits results in failure. Subject 3, the road driving skills test, also introduced time limits for multiple operations. For instance, starting the vehicle after a green light was previously not time-limited, but the new standard explicitly states that "failure to start within 10 seconds when there are no other vehicles, pedestrians, or other obstructions ahead" will result in failure. Operations such as starting, turning, changing lanes, overtaking, and parking by the roadside previously required the use of turn signals, with a 10-point deduction for not using them. Under the new standard, this requirement is stricter: not using a turn signal results in immediate failure, and turning before the turn signal has been on for at least 3 seconds also results in immediate failure. Introduction to Reverse Parking: Reverse parking has been a mandatory test item for obtaining a small car driver's license since 2013. It assesses the driver's ability to maneuver the vehicle in a confined space. Reverse parking is a key assessment point in the driver's test, requiring the driver to correctly reverse the vehicle into a parking space from both sides while in motion. There are three common types of reverse parking: the first is the "non"-shaped reverse parking, commonly found in large parking lots. The second is the "one"-shaped reverse parking by the roadside, also known as parallel parking. The third is the less common diagonal reverse parking. About 70% of driving school students find parallel parking more challenging.
I remember when I was first learning to drive, I was always nervous about parallel parking, afraid of exceeding the time limit. The standard test time is usually around 210 seconds, which is about 3 and a half minutes, designed to assess your control stability. But you should take it slow and not rush to finish; going too fast can easily lead to crossing the line or hitting something. In real-life parking situations, the time can vary. A small car might easily manage it in 100 seconds, while a large SUV might take longer. The key is to practice more to develop a feel for it, cultivating spatial awareness and directional sense when reversing. Safety always comes first; time is just a testing metric. I usually recommend using a phone timer to simulate the test environment, which can reduce anxiety and increase the chances of success. Finally, a reminder: if you exceed the time limit, you fail the test, but in actual driving, safely parking is what truly matters.
