Ask a room full of drivers what they feared most on their road test, and one answer dominates: parallel parking. Years later, plenty of licensed drivers still circle the block to avoid it.
The frustrating part? Parallel parking is one of the most mechanical, repeatable skills in driving. Once you learn a reference-point method, it works the same way every time. Here’s the approach our instructors teach.
Why Parallel Parking Feels Hard
Most drivers were taught to “feel it out,” which means guessing. Guessing produces inconsistent results, inconsistent results produce anxiety, and anxiety produces avoidance. A fixed method removes the guessing.
The Step-by-Step Method
1. Line Up: Pull alongside the vehicle ahead of your space, about one metre away, aligning your rear bumpers. Signal so traffic knows your intention.
2. First Turn: Reverse slowly while turning the wheel fully toward the curb. Watch through your rear window—not just the mirrors.
3. The Pivot Point: When your car reaches roughly a 45-degree angle to the curb, straighten the wheel and continue reversing.
4. Second Turn: When your front bumper clears the rear bumper of the car ahead, turn the wheel fully away from the curb and continue backing until parallel.
5. Centre the Car: Pull forward slightly to centre yourself in the space, finishing within 50 centimetres of the curb.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Rushing is the biggest one—speed compresses your decision time and turns small errors into big ones. Skipping shoulder checks is another; examiners watch for observation as much as positioning. And forgetting to signal costs easy marks on a road test.
Practice with Feedback
The difference between practicing alone and practicing with an instructor is feedback. An instructor spots exactly which step is going wrong—usually the pivot timing—and corrects it immediately, instead of letting a flawed habit repeat.
Parallel parking is a required skill on the Alberta road test, and it’s covered in every AJ Driving School program, from beginner to refresher courses.
Park with Confidence
A skill that once caused panic can become routine in a single lesson. To master parallel parking before your road test—or finally conquer it years later—call AJ Driving School in Edmonton at (780) 486-5090.
