You want to park downhill on a two-way road and there is no curb. Which way do you turn your front wheels?
- Straight ahead
- Right, toward the side of the road ✓
- Left, toward the center of the road
Answer: B. Right, toward the side of the road
You should turn your front wheels to the right, toward the side of the road.
Why this is the answer
The handbook gives a no-curb rule for parking on a hill: aim the front wheels right, toward the side of the road, whether you are headed uphill or downhill. In a downhill spot, that points the car away from the center of the road if the brakes fail, instead of letting it roll toward traffic. The handbook also says to use the parking brake and put the car in park or in gear.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Straight ahead — Keeping the wheels straight ahead does not follow the handbook's no-curb rule, which says to aim them right so the car rolls away from the center of the road if the brakes fail.
- C. Left, toward the center of the road — Turning the wheels left toward the center is wrong because with no curb the handbook says to turn them right, away from the center of the road.
Remember it
No curb on a hill? Point the wheels right, toward the shoulder, so a roll takes the car away from the center.
Official handbook: California Driver Handbook (DL 600), Section 6: Navigating the Roads, p. 27