Source: Amos / amos
It’s part of the driving experience dreaded by many drivers, young and old — parallel parking.
Trying to fit your car between two other cars, often with only inches to spare, can test the skills and confidence of any driver.
Well, drivers applying for their licenses in Maryland can breathe a little easier.
Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration has dropped parallel parking from its statewide test.
“The MVA consistently evaluates its assessments of both the knowledge and skills tests,” the agency’s Buel Young says.
Young says the skills demonstrated in other tests including judging space and backing are similar to parallel parking.
“In analyzing the skills test, it was determined that the currently used 2-point reverse turn, when combined with the on-road portions of the test, adequately assessed the individual’s ability to operate the vehicle.”
Young says parallel parking is still required as part of the curriculum in driver’s education courses, but as of Monday would no longer be used in the behind-the-wheel part of the test.
Maryland’s driver’s test includes some testing on a closed course, and some testing in traffic. Until now, parallel parking was tested on a closed course.
Source: WTOP.com
