Mazda City of Orange Park

Feb 1, 2024

One of the most challenging parking maneuvers for drivers to master is the parallel park. However, this is a necessary skill, especially for urban drivers and people who need to park on city streets. Fortunately, your Mazda dealer is ready to help you master this advanced parking maneuver so you can park your Mazda easily and safely.

Five Tips for Parallel Parking Your Mazda From Your Mazda Dealer

1. Find a Spot With Enough Space

Whether you’re a seasoned driver or a beginner, curbside parking is always more challenging if you find a parking spot that doesn’t offer enough space. Finding the right parking space means finding a location that is about one and a half times the length of your Mazda. If you find a space that looks a little small, it’s best to pass it up and try for another location. 

2. Remember to Signal

When you are about to reverse into your desired curbside parking spot, you must remember to turn on your signal so any approaching cars know you are trying to maneuver into a parking space. This is the easiest way to avoid collisions with oncoming cars.

3. Reverse Toward the Curb

For a perfect curbside parking maneuver, you will need to line up the middle of your Mazda with the rear bumper of the car you intend to park behind. From there, as you ease into reverse, you should steer your vehicle sharply toward the curb until you can spot the headlights or bumper of the car behind you. After that, you can straighten your wheel as you continue to reverse until your car is parallel with the road.

4. Align Your Car

To finish your curbside parking maneuver, you should do your best to straighten your car up. Much of the time, this means flipping back into drive to scoot your car forward to refine the position of your car. You want to make sure to leave adequate room for the car ahead and behind you to comfortably leave the parking spot. 

5. Use Parking Sensors

If your Mazda has front or rear parking sensors, then you can use these driver assistance features to help with curbside parking. Models like the CX-50 may have parking sensors and other monitors that can give you a better sense of how to maneuver your vehicle in tricky spaces. Just like curbside parking the old-fashioned way, relying on parking sensors also takes some practice! 

While parallel or streetside parking can certainly be a challenge, this is a driving skill that can be perfected over time and with lots of practice. For more driving tips and tricks, get in touch with Mazda City of Orange Park in Jacksonville, FL today