Will points be deducted if the car body is not straight during reverse parking?
4 Answers
Reverse parking with the car body not straight will not result in point deductions. As long as the car body does not cross the lines during reverse parking, no points will be deducted. Whether the car body is straight or tilted does not affect the test results. Below are relevant details: Introduction: This assesses the driver's ability to operate the car in a designated area. Reverse parking is one of the evaluation points in the driver's test. Extended information on reverse parking operation techniques: Control the driving speed by using first gear or reverse gear at idle speed throughout the process. Maintain the same speed as when starting. Control the timing of steering. During the reversing process, observe carefully, grasp the key points of steering, and steer at the right moment. Control the driving path. During the test, the car's driving path mainly depends on the speed of turning the steering wheel and the driving speed. When reversing, aim accurately at the boundary lines, correct the direction in time, and ensure the car enters the parking space straight.
When I was taking my driving test, the instructor emphasized that a crooked car body might result in point deductions but more likely in failing the test. The key to parallel parking isn’t how straight the car is, but ensuring none of the wheels cross the lines on any side. A slightly crooked car (with tires less than 30 cm from the edge of the parking space) won’t cost you points, but if the steering wheel isn’t straightened or the front/back is excessively misaligned, the examiner may fail you outright for 'vehicle out of bounds.' I’ve personally seen cases where a student parked crookedly without crossing the lines but was still flagged by the system for touching the corner lines. My advice: after stopping, check both side mirrors—if the gaps on both sides are even, you’re safe. Otherwise, readjusting before finalizing the parking is the smarter move.
Body misalignment is categorized as follows: 1. During the test, if the distance difference between the left and right wheels and the sideline is ≤30cm, only 10 points will be deducted; 2. If the difference is >30cm or the front of the car crosses the line, it results in immediate disqualification. In real test scenarios, body misalignment most commonly leads to pressing against the corner line when exiting the garage, especially when the reversing camera shows the body as straight, but in reality, the left side is wider and the right side is narrower—turning the steering wheel causes the right rear wheel to press against the garage corner. During practice, I once turned off the engine in the garage and got out to check, finding that the rearview mirror's view and the actual position differed by half a finger's width! The remedy is to delay straightening the steering wheel by half a beat, allowing the rear of the car to move more distance. If the body tilt is significant, shift back into reverse gear to adjust the wheels.
Four point deductions for the reverse parking in Subject 2: Wheels crossing the line, stopping midway, exceeding time limit, and vehicle body crossing the line. The key point is 'vehicle body crossing the line'—it's not about the direction of the car's front, but the projection exceeding the boundary line of the parking space that results in a 100-point deduction. Personal lesson: When the car is at a 45-degree angle in the parking space, it may seem safe, but the rear light position has already touched the infrared sensing area. Recommendation: Turn the steering wheel 15° earlier than usual, and when the front door handle and the corner of the parking space are two fingers apart in the rearview mirror, straighten the wheel—this will generally prevent misalignment.
