New York DMV Permit Written TestRules of the Road and Traffic LawsMedium
You are parking your vehicle downhill on a street with a curb. In which direction should you turn your front wheels?
- AToward the curb.
- BStraight ahead.
- CAway from the curb.
- DIt does not matter as long as the parking brake is set.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Toward the curb.
When parking downhill with a curb, turning your front wheels toward the curb ensures that if your brakes fail, the vehicle will roll into the curb and stop, preventing it from rolling into traffic.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Leaving wheels straight provides no safety measure against brake failure on a hill.
- C. Turning away from the curb (uphill parking) would cause the vehicle to roll into traffic if the brakes fail.
- D. While the parking brake should always be set, turning the wheels provides an additional safety measure.
Parking on Hills
Specific procedures for positioning vehicle wheels when parking on an incline to prevent rolling.
- Downhill with curb: wheels toward curb.
- Uphill with curb: wheels away from curb.
- No curb (uphill or downhill): wheels toward edge of road.
- Always set the parking brake.
Memory trick: Downhill, turn in; Uphill, turn out, don't spin!