Parking on a Hill

Q: I’ve heard some conflicting information on how to turn my wheels when parallel parking on a hill. Do I point them toward or away from the road?

A: Here’s what I like about this question: it goes beyond what is required and asks what is best. Traffic laws specify the bare minimum requirements for legally participating in our transportation system with your motor vehicle. To parallel park in compliance with the law, “park with the right-hand wheels parallel to and within twelve inches of the right-hand curb or as close as practicable to the right edge of the right-hand shoulder.”

I have searched through Revised Code of Washington, and I can’t find anything about parking on hills or pointing your wheels in or out. That’s the kind of information you’re going to get by paying attention in driver’s ed and reading the driver manual. This is an example of how complying with the law isn’t enough. Sure, if your willingness to follow the law is governed strictly by the avoidance of a ticket, you could park on a hill with your wheels pointed straight ahead, and not give it another thought. That is, until your parking brake fails, and you come back to an empty parking spot and a car in the river.

For everyone that wants to go beyond the law and do it right, here’s how (according to the Washington Driver Guide and numerous driving instructors): I’ll start with the obvious – apply your parking brake. The best way to remember to do that is to always use it, even when you’re not on a hill. Make it a habit. For the two percent of Americans still buying manual cars, put your car in first gear (or reverse) when you park. If you’re driving a manual, you probably already know that.

When parking facing downhill, turn your wheels toward the curb. That way, if your parking brake fails, your car will roll into the curb and stop. When parking facing uphill, turn your wheels away from the curb. Also, you can add extra security by letting your car roll slowly up against the curb to use it as a block. On a hill without curbs, whether up or down, point your wheels to the edge of the road so that if your vehicle does move, it’ll roll away from the roadway.

We don’t often think about parked cars in the context of traffic safety; when’s the last time you heard about a serious crash where a parked car was at fault? That’s not to say it never happens. You can find plenty of videos online of parked cars rolling into traffic. But if you look at the data, most crashes involve impairment, speed, and distraction. Mis-parked cars don’t even make the list.

It does matter, though. How a person parks is an indicator of their attention to driving. Doing the little things, like turning your wheels the proper direction when parking on a hill, using your turn signal every time, properly adjusting your mirrors (and using them), are all behaviors of a person who values safe driving.

Good drivers think of driving as a craft rather than a task. When you’re practicing your craft, you take pride in it and continually strive to get better. When it’s a task, you do the least amount required to get it over with. Notice that the basic action is the same – either way we’re still driving a car; it’s our attitude and our expectations that change. Treating driving as a craft makes it more enjoyable, and it’ll keep everyone safer.