Backing into Parking Spaces is Safer!

I admit that I am not a good parker – it takes me 2 to 3 (or more attempts) to parallel park my little sports car, and I usually just drive around the block to find other parking options.  Yup; I’m the stereotypical female Asian driver.  And when I slowly back out of a parking space with my rear end jutting out into traffic, I panic because I can’t see what’s coming until I’m already causing near accidents.  With giant SUVs and trucks lining parking garages, they create huge blind spots that are really dangerous. So that’s why I was so glad to read this article about backing into parking spaces.

It makes sense that if you’re having to jut out or do awkward maneuvers to get into or out of a parking space, it’s in your best interest to do it when backing into a space. After all, when you’re backing in, you can see the traffic around you.  You can put on your blinkers and motion to people to go around you, then take your time to back your car into the parking space. You can see everything in all directions and it’s much safer to do than to back out into on-coming traffic that you can’t see. 

Then, when you’re ready to leave, you hop into your car and pull out head first! Ta da! Studies says that Americans only back into parking spaces about 25% of the time, and the types of people who do that are usually high achievers who want to invest more time and effort (backing in) so they can appreciate delayed gratification later (quick and stress-free exit). Americans are never taught how to back into parking spaces when they take driver’s education and driving courses, while Europeans and Asians learn how to negotiate tight spaces on the road and in parking lots out of necessity.

My take-away from this is that we should back into parking spaces when it is legal (some parking lots post notices about how to park) because it will reduce your stress and probably save you from fender benders.  With back-up cameras in most newer-model cars, backing into spaces is a piece of cake! 

So if you see me on the street holding up traffic, smile — just know that I’m probably preventing an accident on the other end.  

[Source]

http://www.vox.com/2016/8/1/11926596/safer-back-into-parking-spaces