Parking, Stopping, and Backing
Where You May and May Not Stop
Parking and stopping questions test distances and orientations. Stopping means halting temporarily; parking means leaving the vehicle. You may not park within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within 30 feet of a stop sign or traffic signal, within 50 feet of a railroad crossing, or within 20 feet of a fire station driveway. Do not park in front of a driveway, on a sidewalk, or in a space reserved for people with disabilities without a permit.
When parking on a hill, turn your wheels so the car rolls into the curb, not into traffic. Facing downhill with a curb, turn wheels toward the curb. Facing uphill with a curb, turn wheels away from the curb and let the car roll back until the tire touches the curb. With no curb, turn wheels toward the edge of the road on any hill.
Backing is one of the most common causes of low-speed crashes. Before backing, check mirrors and blind spots, and turn your head to look over your shoulder - mirrors alone leave blind spots. Back slowly and be prepared to stop. Never back into an intersection or onto a highway.
Trap: the question that asks whether you may stop briefly in a no-parking zone. Stopping to load or unload passengers may be allowed where parking is not, so read the wording carefully - "no stopping" is stricter than "no parking."
Rule of thumb: downhill, wheels to the curb; uphill with a curb, wheels away from the curb; no curb, wheels toward the edge.