Safety Moment
Reverse Parking – Ready for ‘Forward First’ Motion
Description
There are many reasons why you
should back into a parking space
rather than driving forward into it.
The term sometimes used is to
park the vehicle ready for ‘Forward
First’ motion.
Reversing into a parking space
gives you greater control and
makes it easier to manoeuvre out
the space. If you think reverse
parking is difficult, it’s much more
difficult to try and wiggle your car
out of a tight space when you have
parked front in first.
Nowadays, with most new cars
coming with backup cameras and
parking assist systems, it is easier
to reverse-park than ever.
Insights and learning
When you reverse into a space you are going into a
designated space with no vehicle and pedestrian
traffic. By reverse parking, you avoid backing out
blindly into oncoming traffic or into the path of
pedestrians. You can see your surroundings much
more clearly.
In an emergency, it’s much quicker to get into your
vehicle and drive straight out. This could also be
seen as a safety precaution too.
Note: If you are parking the vehicle into your home
garage, you must ensure there are no young
children nearby. Please consider using a spotter.
References
Vehicle and Driving Standard
Reverse into a parking space
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