To prevent runaway vehicles, state and local laws require drivers to curb their wheels when parking on a grade of 3% or greater. Since most of us don’t carry a level to measure how steep a street is, it’s a good idea to make it a habit every time you parallel park on an incline.
Why is curbing your wheels so important? If your vehicle is hit, or if the transmission or parking brake fail, curbing will cause your car’s wheels to act as an additional safety defense. In such a scenario, your car will roll into the curb, and not into people, traffic or other objects. If you do not curb your wheels, you are subject to a fine. With the many hills in Manhattan Beach, MBPD takes this law very seriously as we've seen a number of runaway vehicles over the years.
Tips to Curb Your Wheels Safely and Legally
- Whether you park your vehicle facing uphill or downhill, the rule of thumb is to turn your wheels so that the weight of the car will roll them towards the curb. If you’re not sure which way your car is sloped, set the car in neutral and see which way it rolls.
- If you’re faced downhill, turn your front wheels towards the curb.
- If you’re faced uphill, turn your front wheels away from the curb and let your vehicle roll back until it gently touches the curb.
- If you park on a sloped driveway, turn your wheels so the vehicle will not roll into the street and, again, make sure to set your parking brake.
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