The ability to park your car is a necessary driving skill . many drivers find it difficult to park their car in a fairly small space and often add to traffic congestion. But, with a little understanding regarding few aspects of parking it can be done safely and precisely.

In order to park your car, you need space atleast 1.5 times the length f your car.But when you have to park in a very limited space , it is better to reverse into the space than to park from forward.

Among the two basic methods of parking , reverse parking is rather difficult. The method is explained below:

• Position your car alongside the next parked car by briskly steering to the left just before you stop the car.
  
• Reverse slowly until the kerb-side portion of the car parked at the rear appears approximately in the center of your rear window.(This position may vary slightly for different cars)
• Straighten the wheels as soon as this angle is reached and proceed slowly in reverse direction in a straight line until the front of your car clears the rear of the car in the front.
• Then , turn the steering fully to the right and continue to reverse slowly.
• The rear of your car will gradually come close against the car behind and parallel to the kerb.
• Move ahead to leave equal space at front and rear to allow others to move out by straightening the wheels.
  

Common aspects of safe parking:

• When you intend to park , have a glance in your rear view mirror and signal your intention well in advance.
• Park the car in the direction of the flow of the traffic and close to the kerb.
  
• Once the car is parked , apply handbrake and in case of downward slope apply reverse gear else engage the first gear.
• Keep the parking lights on if visibility is poor and if it is parked for a short time.