How to Park a Car Perfectly?

• **Angle parking **

Angle parking is when cars are parked at the same acute angle in one direction. The cars get parked in the direction of the approach, so it is easy for a driver to move in and out of the parking space. While leaving the parking space, the driver has to drive the car in reverse. Unless the front space ahead is open for movement, this is why angle parking is also called reverse diagonal or reverse angle parking.

• **Perpendicular parking **

Perpendicular parking is just like it reads. It follows the same outlay as angle parking, but the difference is that the angle is perpendicular or 90-degrees. So cars get parked at a 90-degree angle and are positioned at an equal distance from the two cars beside them. An indicator of perpendicular parking is that the tyres point straight, and cars are parked in line with the curb or parking aisle.

• Parallel parking

Are you wondering what is parallel parking? A parallel park means a method of parking a car parallel to the road but in line with other cars/ vehicles. The driver has to park between two vehicles – one in front of it and the other behind it. In parallel parking between two cars, the driver has to first pick the car in front and drive parallelly to it, then drive in reverse to fit into the parking space. Parallel parking requires intense concentration around one’s surroundings.

Here are some tips for parking a car perfectly every time:

• **Be as slow as possible **

You can drive a car at different speeds, but when it comes to parking a car, it is best to be slow and unrushed. It is difficult to control a car at high speed and full throttle, which is why the slower you park your car, the more control you will have over it. Being slow also means you can maintain a safe distance of 1-2 metres between you and other cars.

• Watch your surroundings the entire time.

Because parking has to be done in the tiniest of spaces and between two cars most of the time, it requires immense focus on multiple things at the same time. You have to look at the cars ahead and behind you to see you don’t scratch or dent your car or that of your fellow driver. Make sure to watch out for pedestrians, little children, senior citizens, and animals, among other things.

• **Position your mirrors well **

When parking your car, you have to look at the rear and front mirrors to find any blind spots you miss with your naked eye. In addition, car mirrors provide a larger field of view to observe the flowing traffic on the road behind and ahead of you. While you might not have to worry about traffic in designated parking spaces like parking lots and garages, you have to watch out for what’s around you if you are parking on a busy road. Use your mirrors to the best of your ability to park a car perfectly.

• Practice whenever you can

Practice makes a person perfect in whatever they strive to excel at. The best drivers and parkers weren’t just born. They practised with all their nerves and apprehensions before they aced it. To improve your parking skills and boost your confidence, keep practising. Ultimately, parking will become an automatic activity for you, doable without much effort.

• Install cameras to assist you

Many modern cars come with parking assist technology or cameras installed inside to assist the driver in parking, parallel parking and driving. As a beginner driver, using these cameras can help you navigate the roads and parking spaces. The cameras also help spot the parallel parking reference points easily.

Now that you know what is parallel parking, the question of how to parallel park remains. However, parallel parking becomes easy if you do it in a guided step-by-step way.

• First, you have to position your car parallelly with the car in front of the parking space.
• Second, maintain 2-3 metres from that car and hit the reverse gear.
• Third, you have to start checking all your mirrors. Then turn your wheels to the right/ left depending on the parking spot.
• Fourth, you have to start to move your car in reverse with the turned wheels.
• Fifth, you have to enter the parking area in reverse and straighten the steering wheels as you finish entering the space.
• Once the rear end of your car reaches the front of the car behind you, you have to move slightly forward in slow motion and turn your wheels in the other direction.
• Once you are somewhat in the parking space, you have to adjust your car forward and backwards to get to the right position.
• Once you have finished parallel parking between two cars, check your mirrors to view if your car is not too close to the cars ahead and behind you.

This is how you will have successfully parallel parked your car.

While you choose the ideal car for yourself and ace your driving cum parking skills, you must also consider getting a four-wheeler insurance policy for your car. Having insurance for cars ensures your car remains protected in case of any unfortunate and unforeseen eventuality/ accident on the road or while parking.

We, at Tata AIG, offer third-party four-wheeler insurance, standalone own-damage four-wheeler insurance and comprehensive four-wheeler insurance. Standalone and comprehensive four-wheeler insurance has features that provide the utmost protection to your car.

Moreover, if you buy the car insurance policy online, you can get discounts on your car insurance premiums. You will then receive the four-wheeler insurance policy on your email/ number within minutes. You can also use a car insurance calculator to assess how much insurance premium you need to pay.

Parking a car is a skill that develops with practice and time. Remember, do not get disheartened if you are facing difficulty while parking. Implement all the tips above, and with time you will start acing every kind of parking. You can even consider getting a driving lesson on parallel parking if your parallel parking needs brushing up. Do not forget to get insurance for cars to get optimum protection from unpredictable road accidents and mishaps.