Checking behind you
Backing out
Wrapping up
Checking behind you
Backing out of a parking spot can be pretty dangerous if not done correctly. Unfortunately, other drivers will sometimes try to quickly drive past you when you are backing out of a space rather than wait for you to complete backing out. You also need to worry about pedestrians who are not paying attention walking by the rear of your vehicle at the exact moment that you back out. That is why you need to be sure to check both behind you and in any direction that oncoming vehicle or foot traffic could be coming from prior to backing out as well as while you back out.
Before you back out, take a look directly behind you. If you have a rearview camera, this will make things even easier. You also must try to tell if you can see in both directions to the side of you to the rear in order to see if any cars or people are coming. Unfortunately, sometimes due to a larger car or a car with dark windows, this will not be possible. That is why when you do start backing out, you need to do so very slowly and with extreme caution.
Backing out
When you start backing out keep your head turned backwards over your shoulder as far as you can in the direction that you will reverse towards. So, if you plan on driving right after you back out, you will be initially reversing towards the left. Thus, you should keep your head turned over your left shoulder. If you will be going left after you back out, keep your head turned over your right shoulder as you back out. If you hear a horn behind you, stop immediately. Check in all directions, if there is a car close by, pull back into the spot and wait for the car to pass before attempting to back out again.
Once you back out successfully and safely, put your car into drive without taking your foot off the brake. Then, with your foot still on the brake, check again in all directions to make sure the coast is clear in order for you to drive away safely. Finally, regularly check to ensure that your brake and reverse lights are working on your vehicle. If they are not, other drivers will not have anyway of knowing that you are backing out until you actually do which might not be enough to avoid a collision.
Wrapping up
Backing out of a parking space is not that difficult to execute. Doing so with complete awareness and safety is where the effort comes in. Unfortunately, you cannot always have complete vision in all directions when you back out depending on the vehicles parked to either side of you. But, if you check directly behind you and in both directions to your rear before you back out as well as backing out slowly and continuing to watch behind you as you do, you will maximize your chances at completing a successful and safe back-out of your parking stall.
