Finish the drive safely
Parking is a driving maneuver. Check the space, protect people nearby, and make sure your vehicle will stay where you leave it.
Read the whole restriction
Check curb markings, signs, arrows, time limits, and temporary notices. An apparently empty space may still be reserved or needed for visibility and emergency access. Consult your state handbook for required distances and local restrictions.
Look beyond the camera
Before reversing, check around the vehicle and look directly where you intend to move. A reversing camera can help, but its image may miss a child, cyclist, or obstacle outside its field of view. Move slowly enough to stop promptly.
Secure the vehicle and check the door
Use the parking brake and the appropriate transmission position. On a slope, follow your state handbook’s wheel-position guidance for the direction of the hill and presence of a curb. Before opening a door, check for passing traffic and bicycles.
Check the space, move slowly, secure the vehicle, and look before opening the door.
Use official road-safety resources and your state’s full handbook to check legal details and exceptions.
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