What are the standards for reverse parking?
2 Answers
The standards for reverse parking are as follows: Failure to follow the prescribed route sequence results in disqualification; reversing must be done in one go into the garage, and moving forward must be done in one go to the starting point—no repeated reversing and advancing. Failure to fully enter the garage results in disqualification. The frontmost part of the bumper must completely enter the garage; touching the line or protruding is disqualifying. If the vehicle body crosses the line before reversing into the garage, or if both front wheels fail to pass the control line, it results in disqualification. Generally, instructors teach drivers to align their shoulders with the control line. Stopping for more than 2 seconds mid-process deducts 5 points each time. Don’t stop too often—for the second driving test, 80 points are required to pass. If no other points are deducted, you can stop up to 4 times at most. During reverse parking, maintain control over the driving speed. Use first gear or reverse gear at idle speed throughout, ensuring the starting speed remains consistent. Control the timing of steering and observe carefully during reversing to grasp key turning points and steer appropriately. Additional reference materials are as follows: U-turn reversing: Perform U-turn reversing only in permitted areas (e.g., roads, intersections, street entrances) and adjust based on road width and traffic density. On wider roads, judge the position of the rear wheels or the vehicle’s tail directly from the rearview mirror. On narrow roads, if the rearview mirror doesn’t provide an accurate view, open the door and observe the rear wheels while operating. If multiple forward and reverse movements are needed, step out to check the safe distance between the wheels and the road to avoid falling into ditches. In high-traffic areas, have someone guide you. At intersections or street entrances, expand your rearview range to accurately judge the movements of passing vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, reversing cautiously to avoid accidents. Garage reversing: Garage reversing typically occurs when parking in a garage or temporary parking lot after returning. For vehicles with good rear visibility (e.g., light passenger cars, sedans, buses), observe and judge directly from the rear window. For vehicles with poor rear visibility (e.g., fully loaded trucks), open the door to judge the vehicle’s position in the garage while also checking the other side via the rearview mirror to avoid scraping the vehicle or others. Turning while reversing: When performing a turn while reversing, pay attention to the inside of the turn and the situation behind the vehicle. Observe both sides of the vehicle via the rearview mirror and time the steering wheel’s rotation to prevent rear collisions or side scrapes. Shifting while reversing: This is usually done when entering a narrow parking space or navigating tight roads to make way for oncoming traffic. This method may require multiple reversals, so be mindful of the available space and the position of the rear wheels and vehicle sides to avoid collisions, scrapes, or falling into ditches. If necessary, have someone guide you from behind.
The standard for reverse parking mainly depends on whether the car body is parked straight and whether the wheels cross the line. When I was taking my driving test, the instructor emphasized three points: First, stop when the lower edge of the rearview mirror aligns with the front line of the parking space, ensuring the rear of the car doesn’t stick out; second, the car body should be parallel to the side lines of the parking space in both left and right rearview mirrors, with the distance on both sides ideally similar and the error not exceeding 30 cm; third, the engine must not stall during the entire process, and there should be no stop lasting more than 2 seconds. Another key point is to maintain a slow speed, keep the clutch steady, and turn the steering wheel in the direction you want the car to move. It’s important to remember several reference points during practice, such as turning the steering wheel halfway back when seeing the corner of the parking space—this requires several practice sessions to get the hang of it.
