Learning to parallel park can be an intimidating process for new drivers. Heck, it’s even scary to some experienced drivers! But this is an art worth mastering - not only is it a big part of your driving test, but you are going to run into at least few situations in your lifetime where your parallel parking skills will come in handy. And just imagine how suave you’ll look as you easily back your car into a tiny parking space! So whether you’ve tried before or you’re just starting out, keep reading and you’ll be conquering those tight squeezes in no time.

To start, here’s what it’s all about: parallel parking is a method of parking in line with, or parallel to the curb, commonly lined up bumper to bumper with other vehicles. This is most often encountered in large metropolitan areas, where there are few parking lots and street parking is the norm. Parallel parking is required knowledge for the drivers license exam, since you will be tested on your abilities. There are states, such as Ohio, which implement a “maneuverability test” instead, but this is basically parallel parking inside of a traffic cone formation instead of with other cars - so the same rules apply.

Rule number one: don’t get intimidated. Even if you’ve already tried (and failed) before, DO NOT be discouraged! Start slow, and your confidence will increase with each practice session as you become more comfortable. It has less to do with “natural talent” or good hand-eye coordination than it does with simple, consistent repetition. Stay calm and allow yourself the time you need to become successful - it won’t happen overnight, but it becomes less and less difficult with time. And pretty soon you’ll be maneuvering with ease!

Ready? Here are the general rules for parallel parking:

1. Look for a parking spot which is at least one and a half times the length of your car that you are confident you can park in.

2. Flash your turn signal and drive up next to the car you wish to park behind so that your rear bumpers are aligned and you are 2-3 feet away.

3. Look into your side and rear-view mirrors, then check over your shoulder to make sure there are no cars approaching you from behind. Once it’s clear, hit the brake and put your car in reverse.

4. Slowly release the brake. As soon as the car begins to reverse, steer your wheel all the way towards the direction of the curb; now the back of your car should be at an angle towards the curb as it rolls backwards. (If you feel you need to re-adjust your angle or that you want to start over, just drive forward and begin again.)

5. Now, straighten your car’s wheels: once the vehicle is inside most of the space, steer your wheel all the way in direction opposite the curb.

6. You’re pretty much centered once you’re no more than 12 inches from the curb and parallel to it. If you need to, drive forward slightly to adjust your wheels. Now you’re parked!

These are just the basic guidelines; each situation varies so you’ll learn to use your own judgment based on the circumstances. Obviously the bigger the space, the easier parking will be. Things like how sharply your wheel will need to be steered also differ based on the car you drive, since each vehicle is unique.

But back to basics: to build your confidence, you’ll need to start slowly and work your way up. Of course you’ll be nervous if you begin with trying to parallel park on a busy street! Here’s how we recommend starting; once you’ve mastered one level, move on up to the next:

- Try parking beside an empty curb in a quiet parking lot or street.

- Try out your parking skills behind a single car.

- Look for two parked vehicles that are far enough apart where you feel comfortable parking in between them. (Find a street that’s not too busy for this)

- Park between cars that are closer together until you’re able to do it in spaces that no less than one and a half times the length of your car.

Parallel parking has a reputation for difficulty, but it’s really not as hard as you may think. Just keep on practicing and you’ll be doing it perfectly in no time. Now there’s no excuse! Go forth and master the art of the parallel park.