3.4 Stopping, Standing, and Parking Regulations

Stopping, Standing, and Parking Regulations

Quick Answer: Under Mississippi law (Miss. Code § 63-3-907), parallel-parked vehicles must have their right-hand wheels parallel to and within 12 inches of the curb. When parking on hills, remember the UCLA rule: Uphill with Curb = turn wheels Left Always; for all other hill parking configurations (downhill with curb, or uphill/downhill without curb), turn wheels to the right. Miss. Code Ann. § 63-3-901 also bans stopping, standing, or parking within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, 30 feet of the approach to a stop sign, signal, or flashing beacon, and 15 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing.

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Parallel Parking Standards (Miss. Code § 63-3-907)

Parallel parking is a core maneuver tested on the Mississippi practical driving exam. State statute establishes explicit dimensional standards for curb positioning:

• The 12-Inch Curb Requirement: Except where angle parking is officially permitted by local ordinance, every vehicle stopped or parked upon a roadway with an adjacent curb must be positioned with the right-hand wheels parallel to and within 12 inches (1 foot) of the right-hand curb.
• Direction of Traffic: Vehicles must always be parked facing the direction of authorized traffic flow. Parking against the flow of traffic on the left side of a two-way street is illegal, as entering and exiting such a space requires driving head-on into oncoming traffic.

Step-by-Step Parallel Parking Technique

1. Signal and Position: Signal your intention to park right at least 100 feet prior. Bring your vehicle parallel to the car parked ahead of the empty space, maintaining 2 to 3 feet of lateral clearance, aligning your rear bumper with the other vehicle's rear bumper.
2. Reverse at a 45-Degree Angle: Shift into reverse, check your mirrors and blind spots, and steer sharply toward the right curb. Back smoothly at approximately a 45-degree angle until your front bumper clears the rear bumper of the front car.
3. Cut Wheels Left and Straighten: Steer sharply to the left while continuing to reverse slowly, guiding the vehicle into the space without striking the rear vehicle or jumping the curb.
4. Center and Secure: Shift into drive, pull forward slowly, straighten the steering wheel, and center the vehicle between the two cars, ensuring curbside wheels are within 12 inches of the curb. Set the parking brake and shift into Park.

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Parking on Hills: Wheel Direction and Gravity Management

When parking on any incline, gravity poses a constant threat. If the mechanical parking pawl or emergency brake fails, an improperly angled car will roll into the roadway. Mississippi driving rules mandate specific front-wheel orientations based on slope direction and curb presence:

Mississippi Hill Parking Orientation Guide

The "UCLA" Memory Device: To remember wheel direction on the exam, use the acronym UCLA:

• Uphill with Curb = Left Always
• In every other scenario (uphill without curb, downhill with curb, downhill without curb), turn the wheels to the RIGHT.

Mandatory Securing Checklist Before Exiting

Under Mississippi law, no driver may leave a vehicle unattended without:

1. Setting the emergency/parking brake firmly.
2. Shifting the transmission into Park (for automatic vehicles) or into Reverse (downhill) or 1st Gear (uphill) for manual transmissions.
3. Turning off the engine and removing the ignition key.

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Statutory Prohibited Parking Distances (Miss. Code § 63-3-901)

Mississippi statute sets explicit buffer distances around life-safety infrastructure, intersections, and rail crossings where parking, standing, or stopping is strictly illegal:

Critical Statutory Parking Buffer Distances

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General Prohibitions and Colored Curb Markings

Beyond statutory distance buffers, Mississippi law explicitly prohibits stopping, standing, or parking in the following zones:

• Double Parking: Parking on the roadway side of any vehicle already stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street is strictly illegal. Double parking blocks active travel lanes and forces trailing traffic into opposing lanes.
• Sidewalks and Driveways: Parking on a public sidewalk, across a pedestrian curb ramp, or directly in front of a private or public driveway is prohibited.
• Intersections and Safety Zones: Never park within an intersection, on a pedestrian crosswalk, or between a safety zone and the adjacent curb.
• Bridges and Elevated Structures: Parking on any highway bridge, elevated causeway, viaduct, or inside a tunnel is banned.
• Red Curbs: Red curb painting indicates an official fire lane or emergency zone; stopping, standing, or parking is prohibited at all times.
• Yellow and White Curbs: Yellow curbs typically designate commercial loading zones; white curbs designate short-term passenger loading/unloading zones subject to municipal signage.

Accessible Parking Spaces (Disability Permits)

Parking in designated parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities (marked with the international symbol of accessibility and blue signage) is strictly illegal unless the vehicle displays an official disabled license plate or removable windshield placard, and the disabled individual is being transported. Violating Mississippi accessible parking laws results in statutory fines ranging from $200 to $500, plus mandatory towing fees.

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Emergency Roadside Stopping Protocol (Miss. Code § 63-3-903)

If mechanical failure forces an emergency stop on an open highway:

1. Clear the Travel Lanes: Outside business and residence districts you must park off the roadway entirely. The Mississippi Driver's Manual directs you to pull all the way off the roadway and, if possible, leave at least 20 feet for other vehicles to get by. Miss. Code Ann. § 63-3-905 separately authorizes police officers to remove a vehicle left standing unlawfully on a highway.
2. Clear Visibility: The stopped vehicle must be clearly visible from a distance of at least 200 feet in each direction along the highway.
3. Activate Hazard Warning Lights: Turn on four-way emergency flashers immediately to alert approaching traffic, especially at night or in adverse weather.