Parking — Michigan Permit Test

Parking on the Michigan permit test — 8 rules, each with the reason behind it and a question on it while it is fresh.

The rules

When parking downhill, turn your wheels toward the curb.

If the car rolls, the curb catches the front tire instead of the car rolling into traffic.

Turn wheels toward the curb when parking downhill.
What Every Driver Must Know, p.37

When parking uphill, turn your wheels away from the curb.

If the car rolls back, the rear of the front tire catches the curb.

Turn the wheels away from the curb when parking uphill.
What Every Driver Must Know, p.37

If there is no curb when parking on a hill, turn the wheels so the vehicle will not roll into traffic.

Without a curb, the wheels should steer a runaway car off the road, not into it.

If there is no curb, turn the wheels so that the vehicle will not roll into traffic.
What Every Driver Must Know, p.37

Whenever you park, always use the parking brake; the transmission is not designed to be used as a brake.

A car held only in park can slip and roll if the gear lets go.

Always use the parking brake. The transmission is not designed to be used as a brake.
What Every Driver Must Know, p.37

To parallel park, pull alongside the vehicle parked directly ahead of the space, leaving 2 to 5 feet between your vehicle and it.

That gap gives you room to back in without scraping the other car.

There should be 2-5 feet between your vehicle and the parked vehicle.
What Every Driver Must Know, p.37

Before opening your door after parking, check the mirrors, and use your right hand to open it so you automatically look over your left shoulder for cyclists and pedestrians.

Reaching across with the far hand turns your body, so you see what is coming before the door swings out.

Use your right hand to open the door, so you will automatically look over your left shoulder for oncoming cyclists and pedestrians.
What Every Driver Must Know, p.37

When returning to your vehicle, face oncoming traffic as you approach the driver's side.

Facing traffic lets you see a car drifting toward you in time to step out of the way.

When returning to your vehicle, face oncoming traffic as you approach the driver’s side.
What Every Driver Must Know, p.37

When you park, always turn off the engine, take the keys and lock your vehicle.

A running or unlocked car is easy to steal and can roll or be moved by a child.

Always turn off the engine.
What Every Driver Must Know, p.37

On the test

When parking downhill with a curb, which way should you turn your wheels?

Toward the curb. If the car rolls, the curb catches the front tire instead of the car rolling into traffic. What Every Driver Must Know, p.37: “Turn wheels toward the curb when parking downhill.”

How this works

Most practice tests hand you a bank of questions and leave the manual somewhere else. This one puts them together.

You read one law and the reason behind it, then answer a question on that law while it is still fresh. Get it right and you move on; get it wrong and you have found the gap while it is cheap to fix, not on the morning of the exam.

Learning one rule at a time, and proving it immediately, is what turns a manual you skimmed into something you actually know — and it makes studying feel like getting somewhere rather than like waiting to find out.

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Where these come from

Every rule here is checked against What Every Driver Must Know, published by the Michigan Department of State, and against the state code itself. Last checked 2026-10-03.