What are the dimensions for the Subject 2 parking test?
4 Answers
The setup for the reverse parking test is as follows: The total length of the road is 15.9 meters, with a single side length of 6.8 meters and a width of 5.8 meters. The parking space is 5.25 meters long and 2.3 meters wide. Evaluation criteria for reverse parking: Failure to follow the prescribed route or sequence results in disqualification; vehicle body crossing the line results in disqualification; failure to properly park within the space results in disqualification; stopping midway results in disqualification; exceeding 4 minutes results in disqualification. According to Article 25 of the 'Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses' (Ministry of Public Security Order No. 123), the content of the Subject 2 test includes: for large buses, tractors, city buses, medium-sized buses, and large trucks, the test includes pile test, hill start, parallel parking, single-plank bridge, curve driving, right-angle turn, narrow gate, continuous obstacles, bumpy road, narrow road U-turn, as well as simulated highway, continuous sharp mountain road, tunnel, rain (fog) conditions, slippery road, and emergency handling; for small cars, small automatic transmission cars, small automatic transmission cars for the disabled, and low-speed trucks, the test includes reverse parking, hill start, parallel parking, curve driving, and right-angle turn; for three-wheeled cars, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, and mopeds, the test includes pile test, hill start, and single-plank bridge; the test content for wheeled self-propelled machinery, trolleybuses, and trams is determined by the provincial traffic management department of the public security organ.
I remember being particularly concerned about the parking space dimensions when I first learned to drive. The instructor said the standard test space length is generally set at 1.5 times the vehicle length plus 1 meter, with compact cars typically around 7.5 meters. Width is even more critical—60 cm wider than the car width, usually about 2.4 meters. At first, I was always afraid of crossing the lines, but later I realized there's actually ample adjustment space front and back in the parking space. That extra length beyond the car body is meant for beginners to make mistakes. Our driving school even painted reference lines at the parking spot—keeping the front bumper 30 cm from the rear line was the safest. In reality, once you get the hang of it, you don't need to rigidly memorize dimensions. The key is observing the triangular angle formed between the car body and the parking corner in the rearview mirror—this technique is far more important than the numbers.
A while ago, I accompanied my cousin for his driving test (Subject 2) and learned about the logic behind parking space setup. The standard length of the parking space is equivalent to the length of two exam cars parked front to back, while the width is slightly wider than the car's body by about the distance of an adult's shoulders. During the actual test, there are prominent light-sensitive poles on both sides of the parking space—if the wheels cross the line, the poles light up red. Interestingly, most test centers now use electronic monitoring systems, with induction coils buried at the end of the parking space. The instructor taught us not to focus solely on the data when parking but to pay attention to the position of the stop line at the front end of the space—once the car's hood covers that line, it's properly positioned. Different test centers might have slight variations of about 10 centimeters, so familiarizing yourself with the venue in advance is crucial.
The dimensions for the parking space in Subject 2 have clear national standards: the length is calculated by multiplying the vehicle length by 1.5 and adding 1 meter, while the width is increased by 0.6 meters. In the test area, the parking space is marked with yellow lines, and the distance between the front and rear control lines is crucial at 7.5 meters. At our training ground, we use discarded tires as markers for the parking corners, with the tire spacing intentionally reduced to 2.3 meters to increase difficulty. Beginners are advised to remember the total width including mirrors and the overall length of the vehicle—once the side mirrors pass the corner markers, it indicates a safe position. During parking, maintaining a snail's pace is the most stable approach; it's better to turn the steering wheel early rather than late. Even if the rear of the car is slightly misaligned, adjustments can still be made.
