The Advantages of Reverse Angle Parking
Houston, TX (PRWEB) November 20, 2013 -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported last week that for the third straight year, accidents among pedestrians have increased. The accidents occurred in urban, non-intersections, during the night and alcohol was a factor.
What is reverse angle parking and how can it help decrease accidents? Reverse angle parking is simply parking at an angle in reverse so that the backend of the vehicle is closest to a sidewalk or the front end of the vehicle will exit the parking slot first. The motorists are provided increased visibility once they are ready to exit or leave the parking space when utilizing the reverse angle concept. It is also much easier to see incoming traffic from either direction when the driver is facing traffic so the risk of being involved in a collision may decrease.
The other methods of parking which involve parallel parking or simply driving into a parking space with the front end of the vehicle first, involve the motorist exiting a vehicle alongside a busy road. This strategy may pose a danger to any person exiting the parked vehicle. Often times, a tall or long vehicle is parked alongside a vehicle trying to exit a parking space. If the vehicle pulled in with the front end first, the driver leaving will have will have reduced visibility and a more difficult time leaving the space.
In 2011, the city of Austin initiated reverse angle parking to the highly congested street South Congress. Some residents did not favor the idea at first, but in time became accustomed and now see its advantages. Melvin, a Texas defensive driving student, states “At first I did not like the idea. It was also kind of awkward and hard to park in that manner, but I did like how easy it was leaving the parking spot. Congress is a pretty busy street and it did help when I pulled out. After parking that way a few times, you get used it and it becomes second nature.”
Motorists can load and unload items from their automobile with far more ease as well. For instance, groceries can be packed into the vehicle safely when the trunk of the vehicle is closest to the sidewalk compared to a busy street. Comedy Driving, a Texas defensive driving course, also points to the fact; it is much safer for children to get in and out of a vehicle that is parked with the back end first. The NHTSA also recommends that before entering a vehicle a driver should look to the side of the vehicle and also behind it to ensure there are no children around.
Comedy Driving, Inc. teaches defensive driving for Texas and a 4 hour Basic Driver Improvement Course for the state of Florida.
Jeffrey Bitner, Comedy Driving Inc, +1 (713) 465-0042, [email protected]
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