Is it better to drive into a spot or back into it? The answer is backing in—and that might or might not surprise you. While reversing into a parking spot can be tricky for first-timers, with practice, it's easy to see just how more convenient it is compared to forward parking. In fact, reversing offers better control, better visibility, and safer exiting.
Advanced technology has also made it easier than ever to back into spaces, which can help with building your spatial awareness as well. Still not entirely convinced? You're not alone. However, even if you're more accustomed to forward parking and feel more partial to it, reading through this article might just change your mind.
Better Control
The first reason why it's better to reverse into a spot is because you have higher control over your maneuvers. Unlike forward parking, where it's often more challenging to twist your car into a right-hand angle and do it in one go, backing in allows you ample space and time to correct and adjust. As long as you know your angles and references, the procedure is simple.
Many vehicles are also now equipped with sensors and cameras, making it even easier for you to be aware of your surroundings when you reverse. Of course, you should still do a 360-scan around your car and check your mirrors, but these cameras and sensors are there to provide an extra layer of safety.
Better Visibility
You might think that your visibility is better when you're looking forward rather than backward, but the opposite is generally more true. When you reverse into a parking spot, you always need to scan around you for obstacles, vehicles, and pedestrians before executing your maneuver. While you still need to do this for forward parking, you're still potentially blocking opposite traffic, which may make it more dangerous.
Plus, when you need to adjust your position to fit better between the lines, reversing in means you only need to drive forward to correct your alignment. If you parked front-in, it would mean you need to back up to do so, which may make the whole process more tedious.
Safer Exit
There's another reason why reversing into a parking spot is the better choice: it allows for safer exiting. Instead of needing to back out of your bay, which may increase the risk of collisions due to poor visibility and obscured traffic, you only need to drive forward. This is especially useful in busy parking lots, where a constant stream of cars and pedestrians may make it near impossible to back out.
Take for example: A driveway that faces a busy road. Sure, it may be trickier to back in when you have a stream of cars to worry about before you do your maneuver, but when you need to run your next errand, it'll be much more convenient that your vehicle is pointing outward rather than inward. Reversing in also makes unloading groceries easier.
If you're still not convinced, try it out yourself. Get yourself more accustomed to the maneuver. Over time, you'll see that mastering how to reverse not only helps build parking confidence and improve spatial awareness, but also makes you a better driver overall.
