How far is too far?
Reversing out of my driveway recently, I noticed a car parallel parked about a metre from the kerb.
At first glance, I thought the car was being driven, but further investigation revealed there wasn’t a driver, and the vehicle was in fact parked.
As I drove past the parked car, I asked myself, “Can you be fined for parking too far from the kerb?”
The Australian road rules state that a driver must position their vehicle parallel, and as near as practicable, to the far left side of the road. If you fail to park parallel and close to the left on a two-way road, you risk a $79 fine and $99 Victims of Crime Levy.
One Victorian driver was fined in 2022 for not parking their car close enough to the kerb and the vehicle was jutting out, causing a potential hazard for passing drivers.
Why park so close to the kerb?
And while it’s uncommon for drivers to be fined for this, RAA suggests motorists try to park as close to the kerb as possible, giving motorists and pedestrians plenty of room on the road.
This is particularly important in suburban streets where on-street parking is common and modern vehicles are getting wider.
Drivers must leave a minimum width of 3m between their vehicle and any vehicle parked opposite to ensure safe access for other road users.
Parking as close as possible and parallel to the kerb helps to maximise the amount of clear road for other drivers. Some councils have even resorted to installing signs on narrow residential streets warning drivers not to park opposite other vehicles.
Are there other parallel parking rules?
There are several rules that need to be followed when parallel parking. Ignore them and you could receive a fine. Here are a few things to consider when you’re parallel parking.
- Park your vehicle facing the same direction as moving traffic.
- If there are parking bays marked on the road, you need to park your vehicle within a single bay unless your vehicle is too wide or long to completely fit.
- If there aren’t any marked bay, leave at least one metre between your car and the vehicles in front of you and behind.
- Leave a minimum of 3m between your car and a dividing line or strip.
Can you park too close to the kerb?
If you’ve tried to park as close as possible to the edge of the road, you’ve probably brushed up against your tyres from time-to-time.
And while it’s an innocent mistake, it can cause more than just a scratch to your rims. If you do hit the kerb when parking, it’s important to check your tyres for damage.
Hitting the kerb may lead to a dangerous blowout on the road, particularly if the tyre’s sidewall is damaged.
It may also impact your car’s wheel alignment, rough up your rims or in the worst cases, cause structural damage to your wheels.
How do I park just right?
Parallel parking can be daunting, but the more you practice, the easier it becomes. There are a few things you can do to avoid parking too far or too close when edging your car into a parallel park.
Tilt your left-hand mirror down slightly so you can see how far the rear tyre is from the kerb. This will help you gauge how far the rest of the car is from the kerb.
Don’t forget to check your mirrors, put your indicator on and reduce your speed.
As you slowly reverse into the park, keep an eye on your left mirror, ensuring your vehicle is about 30cm from the kerb.