A step-by-step guide to reverse parking

When parking in a busy lot, backing into your space is a smart move. Being able to drive forward when exiting the space affords you better visibility and lowers the risk of colliding with another car or a pedestrian. Here’s how to reverse park using the 90-degree method.

How to do it
The key to parking in reverse is the starting point. If your car is well-positioned when you begin, you’re golden.

As cars are different sizes and have different turning radiuses, drivers need to experiment a little to determine the ideal starting position for reversing their vehicle into a parking spot. For this reason, it’s a good idea to practice in an empty lot.

The following instructions can serve as a basic guide to backing up a regular-sized sedan:

• Slowly drive past the space in which you plan to park, leaving a distance of about four feet between your car and the front of the parking spot (where the end of the painted line).

• Stop your car once it’s lined up with the parking space next to the one you want to pull in to. The middle of your car should be aligned with the middle of that parking space. To gauge this, you can align your mirrors with the painted line separating the second and third parking space.

• Turn your steering wheel all the way and slowly back up, looking over your shoulder to see where you’re going. If your car was well-positioned when you began reversing, it’ll turn into the right spot. You’ll simply need to straighten the car as you enter the available space.

With a little practice, you’ll be able to figure out precisely where you need to position your car to effortlessly reverse into a parking spot.