Learn exactly which way to turn your wheels when parking on a hill. Covers all 4 scenarios with a clear table, step-by-step instructions, and DMV test tips.
When you park on a hill, the direction you turn your wheels depends on two things: whether you're facing uphill or downhill, and whether there's a curb. Get that combination wrong on your DMV written test and you'll miss a question that shows up on nearly every state's exam.
Key Takeaways
- Uphill with a curb: turn wheels away from the curb (to the left).
- Downhill with a curb: turn wheels into the curb (to the right).
- No curb in either direction: always turn wheels to the right (toward the road edge).
- Wheelingo's state-specific practice tests include hill-parking questions with visual explanations — free, no account needed, ready in 30 seconds.
It seems like it should be simple. You're parked, you're on a hill, just turn the wheel. But there are four distinct scenarios, and each one has a different correct answer. Mix up "uphill" with "downhill" or forget to ask yourself whether there's a curb, and the logic collapses.
The principle behind all four scenarios is the same: if your car rolls, you want the wheel or the curb to stop it. Every answer follows from that one idea.
| Situation | Which Way to Turn Wheels | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Uphill — curb present | Away from curb (left) | If car rolls back, tire catches on curb |
| Downhill — curb present | Into the curb (right) | If car rolls forward, tire catches on curb |
| Uphill — no curb | Toward road edge (right) | If car rolls back, it rolls off the road, not into traffic |
| Downhill — no curb | Toward road edge (right) | Same — rolls away from traffic |
Notice that "no curb" is the easiest to remember: always turn right, regardless of direction.
Definition — Curbing Your Wheels: Positioning your front tires so they make contact with the curb when the vehicle rolls. The curb acts as a physical stop, preventing the car from continuing downhill into traffic or an intersection.
Curbing your wheels is only possible when a curb is present. When there's no curb, the strategy shifts: you turn wheels toward the edge of the road so the car rolls away from moving traffic if the brake fails.
Marcus had studied his state's driver's handbook cover to cover. He was confident walking into the DMV written test. He answered 37 of 40 questions correctly — but one of the three he missed was the hill-parking question. He'd turned wheels "toward the curb" when the question specified uphill. That's the downhill answer. He passed on the retake, but only after drawing out all four scenarios on a notepad until the logic clicked.
It's one of those questions where understanding the reasoning beats memorizing the answer. Once you know why, you can't get it wrong.
Here's the way most driving instructors teach it: "Away from the curb going up, into the curb going down, always right when there's no curb."
You can also think of it as "catch the curb." If you're going uphill and roll back, the tire needs to catch on the curb from the inside — so you turn away. If you're going downhill and roll forward, the tire needs to catch on the curb from the outside — so you turn in.
Once that visual sticks, you'll never second-guess this question again.
Most state exams phrase it one of two ways. Either they describe a scenario ("You are parked facing uphill next to a curb...") and ask which direction to turn your wheels, or they show a diagram of a hill with a parked car and ask you to identify the correct wheel position.
Some states also ask about the parking brake specifically. The correct answer is always: set the parking brake before shifting into park or neutral. This prevents all the stress from resting on the transmission's parking pawl.
Wheelingo includes these exact question types, pulled from each state's current question pool. You can filter to just hill-parking questions if you want focused practice.
What is the parking on a hill driving test question? The DMV written test asks you to identify the correct wheel direction for four scenarios: uphill with a curb, downhill with a curb, uphill without a curb, and downhill without a curb. Each has a specific correct answer tied to preventing runaway vehicle movement.
Which way do you turn your wheels when parking uphill with a curb? Turn your wheels away from the curb — to the left. If your car rolls backward, the tire will catch on the curb and stop it.
Which way do you turn your wheels when parking downhill with a curb? Turn your wheels into the curb — to the right. If your car rolls forward, the front tire contacts the curb and stops the car.
What do you do if there's no curb when parking on a hill? Turn your wheels toward the right edge of the road in both uphill and downhill situations. This directs any rollaway movement away from traffic.
Is Wheelingo free? Yes. Wheelingo is completely free to use — no account required, no subscription, no paywalled questions. You can start practicing state-specific DMV test questions, including hill-parking scenarios, in about 30 seconds.