How to park on a hill

Parking on a hill can feel intimidating at first, especially if you’re concerned about your car rolling. The good news? A few simple steps can help you park more securely and reduce the risk of damage if your brakes ever fail.

This guide suggests easy-to-follow instructions for parking uphill or downhill, and with or without a curb. 

How to park on a hill with a curb

Use the following steps to successfully park uphill or downhill, at or near a curb:

Parking uphill (with a curb)

1. Parallel park your vehicle next to the curb.
2. Turn your front wheels to the left—away from the curb.
3. Set your parking/emergency brake.

When you slowly take your foot off the brake pedal, your car may roll back slightly until the tire gently touches the curb. That’s to be expected—just don’t park too close to other vehicles or objects.

Parking downhill (with a curb)

1. Parallel park your vehicle next to the curb.
2. Turn your front wheels to the right—toward the curb.
3. Set your parking/emergency brake.

As you ease off the brake pedal, your vehicle may roll forward slightly. So, be sure to leave enough room between you and the car or object in front of you. 

How to park on a hill without a curb

No curb? Your goal is to angle your front wheels so the vehicle is less likely to roll into the street if it moves.

Parking uphill or downhill (no curb)

1. Parallel park your vehicle.
2. Turn your front wheels to the right.
3. Set your parking/emergency brake.
   
   

Car insurance for new and young drivers

If you’re a new driver or you’re adding a teen to your policy, there may be ways to help manage costs while building safe driving habits. Here are a couple of examples:

Good Student discount: May help lower auto insurance costs for eligible full-time students. For example, a GPA of 3.0 or higher may qualify, depending on your state and policy.*

DriveMyWay: A personalized program that can help drivers learn safer habits. The safer you drive, the more you may be able to save.**

Miles My Way: A unique program designed to help low-mileage drivers save money on their car insurance.***

Visit our car insurance discount page to learn more.

Protect your wallet with custom auto insurance

Accidents happen, but a car insurance policy tailored to your needs can help you feel prepared. Connect with an American Family Insurance agent to get a quote and explore your coverage options today.

This information represents only a brief description of coverages, is not part of your policy, and is not a promise or guarantee of coverage. If there is any conflict between this information and your policy, the provisions of the policy will prevail. Insurance policy terms and conditions may apply. Exclusions may apply to policies, endorsements, or riders. Coverage may vary by state and may be subject to change. Some products are not available in every state. Please read your policy and contact your agent for assistance.

*Discounts, savings and product eligibility varies based on the way you purchase insurance, by state, property type and policy form. Discounts may not apply to all coverages on an auto or home policy. Exclusions may apply.

**DriveMyWay plans & discounts may vary by state. Rate will vary based on driving behavior. Unsafe driving behaviors may increase your rate. Products, pricing, and availability vary based on the way you purchase insurance and by state, vehicle type, policy form and company underwriting the auto policy. Some restrictions may apply. The DriveMyWay rate factor applies only to these coverages, which are typical for most auto policies: bodily injury liability, property damage liability, collision and comprehensive, medical expense and personal injury protection. Additionally, the rate factor does not apply to fixed fees that are part of the policy. Customer driving data from the DriveMyWay & KnowYourDrive program were used to inform rate structure. If you choose to unenroll anytime after the trial period ends, we’ll use your latest program score when calculating your rate at future renewals.

***MilesMyWay savings apply only to the following variable coverages, which are typical for most auto policies: bodily injury liability, property damage liability, collision and comprehensive, medical expense, underinsured and uninsured and personal injury protection. Additionally, the savings do not apply to fixed fees that are part of your policy. Savings are applied to the vehicle-specific premium, not a customer’s overall premium. Availability varies based on the way you purchase insurance and by state. High mileage driving may result in you losing your discount. Exclusions may apply.