Should You Turn the Steering Wheel Towards the Wider Side When Reversing into a Parking Space?
3 Answers
When reversing into a parking space, you should turn the steering wheel towards the wider side. Overview of Reversing into a Parking Space: Reversing into a parking space 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. This is one of the key evaluation points in the driver's test, requiring the driver to correctly reverse the vehicle into a garage from both sides while in motion. There is a time limit for this maneuver during the test. Methods for Reversing into a Parking Space: There are three most common types of reversing into a parking space. The first is the "non"-shaped reverse parking, commonly found in large shopping malls. The second is the roadside "one"-shaped reverse parking, also known as parallel parking. The third is the less common diagonal reverse parking. About 70% of driving students find parallel parking more challenging.
When I first started learning to drive, parallel parking was a real headache for me. My instructor always taught me to steer towards the wider side - for example, if the left side of the parking space was much wider, turn the wheel right so the rear of the car moves left to fill the gap; if the right side was too wide, steer left to make the rear move right. It sounds simple, but when actually doing it, I often turned the wrong way or turned too quickly/too much, causing the car to wobble dangerously close to the poles. The trick is to reverse slowly, use mirrors and rear cameras (if available) to observe more, don't just look ahead. Practice in empty parking lots first, use cardboard boxes as obstacles, and only attempt real parking spaces after getting adjusted. With enough practice, you'll develop the feel - keeping calm is more crucial than pure skill, safety always comes first.
As an experienced driver, my habit for reverse parking is to quickly steer towards whichever side has more space. The theory is straightforward: turning the wheel causes the rear wheels to steer the back of the car. For example, if there's too much space on the right, you turn right to make the rear move right and fill the gap; if it's wider on the left, turn left to shift the rear left. The key lies in observation and rhythm—don’t just rely on mirrors, also turn your head to check blind spots to avoid hitting pedestrians or corners. Beginners often make mistakes by adjusting in the wrong direction or turning too sharply in haste. Take it slow, use gentle braking to control speed. When teaching at the practice range, I place cones to simulate parking spots, practicing multiple times to calibrate angles and position. Always remind yourself to clear the rear window before reversing to prevent obscured vision.
