How to angle park (45° parking)

Updated October 2026

Angle parking, with diagonal lines at about 45°, is the easiest bay to enter and the easiest to leave, which is why car parks use it for busy streets. You drive in forwards in one smooth turn instead of reversing, as long as you start the turn at the right moment.

These steps assume right-hand traffic, with the kerb on your right. If you drive on the left, swap every left and right.

Step by step

1. Check the direction

   Angled bays are one-way: they slope in the direction you are meant to drive. Make sure you are on the correct side of the aisle so you can turn into the bay without crossing the traffic.

2. Signal and slow right down

   Signal towards the bay and slow to walking pace. Keep about two metres (6 ft) from the line of parked cars so you have room to turn.

3. Turn in smoothly

   When your front bumper reaches the near line of the bay you want (the exact point varies with your car; find yours in practice), steer smoothly towards it. Aim the car at the middle of the space, not at the far corner.

4. Straighten parallel to the lines

   As the car becomes parallel to the bay’s lines, bring the wheel back to the middle and creep forward. Use the mirrors to check the gap on both sides.

5. Stop, secure and leave

   Stop before the kerb or wall, apply the parking brake and select P. To leave, reverse straight back until you can see along the aisle, then steer out and follow the flow.

Common mistakes

• Turning too late. You arrive at the bay square on and then have to wrestle the car round. Start the turn when the front bumper reaches the line.
• Cutting the corner of the next car. A tight turn swings the rear in the wrong place. Give the row some room on the approach.
• Entering the wrong way. Driving into a bay against its slope is awkward and often forbidden. Check the lines and the signs.

Tips that make it easier

• Look through the side window on the bay side to judge when you are lined up with the lines.
• On the way out, reverse until you can see past the car beside you before you turn the wheel.
• Parking in the middle of the bay leaves space for door opening on both sides.

In the driving test

Angle parking is less common as a test manoeuvre than parallel or bay parking, but it appears in some countries’ tests and in everyday driving. Smooth entry and a straight finish matter most.

Quick answers

Practise it in ParkingAim

ParkingAim’s angled park is drawn to the real 45° space and measured when you finish: angle, centring and distance to the back line.

• Angled Parking (45°)Herringbone spaces on a one-way aisle
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