Tight spaces and corrections

How short is too short?

With a normal car, one reverse needs a gap of roughly 1.4–1.5 times the car’s length. Below that, the car cannot swing its front in without touching the car in front. You can still get in — it just takes more moves.

The shuffle

1. Do the normal moves, but back in until you are close to the car behind (about 1 ft / 30 cm) before you finish the last lock. Stop before you touch it.
2. Shift to drive. Turn the wheel toward the curb and creep forward. The front tucks in.
3. Stop short of the car in front. Shift to reverse, turn the wheel away from the curb and creep back. The rear tucks in.
4. Repeat with smaller moves until you are straight and within reach of the curb. Turn the wheel while moving slowly, not while stopped, to spare the tires.

Fixing common results

Straight but too far from the curb

You counter-steered too early. Pull forward with the wheel turned toward the curb, then turn it away from the curb as you finish, so the car comes back to straight closer in. Then reverse straight to center.

Rear wheel about to hit the curb

You held the first lock or the straight part too long. Stop. Pull forward with the wheel turned away from the curb about a car width, then reverse into the final lock again.

Parked, but the front sticks out

You straightened before the car was parallel. Pull forward with the wheel toward the curb, then away, to bring the front in.

Road tests and corrections

Many tests allow a limited number of corrections and mark you down for each extra one. Check your local rules. In the simulator, every change between Drive and Reverse counts; each level has a “par” for the third star.

This guide explains technique. Rules such as how close to the curb you must be, or how a road test is scored, differ by state and country — your official driver handbook has the final word.