AAA is now recommending drivers park their car in a specific way and it'll divide opinion
Published on May 05, 2026 at 2:25 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 05, 2026 at 2:25 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
The AAA (American Automobile Association) has done a 180 – pun intended – and is now recommending a parking technique that not everyone loves.
The recommendation is backed by data, but many drivers seem to have an aversion to it.
Ironically, there are safety elements at play in both cases.
But, unsurprisingly, the AAA is mostly focusing on the one that’s measurable.
Should you drive in and back out, or back in and drive out?
In a way, this debate is like a two-party situation where one party absolutely can’t stand the other.
The American Automobile Association’s new recommendation is fueling a trend that’s already on the rise.
Now more than ever, people are backing into spaces when they arrive so they can drive out more easily when they leave.
People who opt for this ‘parking technique’ call it a tactical choice.
By backing in when you arrive, it means you’re in full control of the maneuver right away, and you don’t have to worry about it later.
Translated, if you reverse park next to a MINI Cooper when you arrive, you won’t have to worry about it if the MINI has been replaced by a giant Ford F-350 when you leave.
However, people who are against it argue that this leads to road rage incidents, because it means other drivers have to wait while you back into the parking space.
Why the AAA says this parking technique is still the way to go
The American Automobile Association decided to focus on the element it can measure and count: accident rate.
Statistics show that backing in first and driving out later reduces the risk of accidents, and so the extra hassle is worth it.
Also, while nose-in parking is still obviously faster, the fact that vehicles are now fitted with accurate sensors and cameras makes the maneuver significantly easier than it would’ve been just five or 10 years ago.
Both ‘parties’ have a point, but it’s understandable that the AAA decided to focus on the safety-first approach.
The only alternative we can think of requires buying a Top Gear-style Salfa Romeab.
Around 20 years ago, James May on Top Gear drove a car that had two front ends.
At the front, you had an Alfa Romeo 164, and then at the (other) front, the car was a Saab 9000.
May called it the Salfa Romeab.
Well, with a Salfa Romeab, you can drive in and drive out without having to use the rearview mirror once.
There are ‘only’ 242 million licensed drivers in the US, so all you have to do is build 242 million Salfa Romeabs, and you’d solve the AAA qualm.
Below: May’s Salfa Romeab first appears on screen at minute 0:23
After beginning his automotive writing career at DriveTribe, Alessandro has been with Supercar Blondie since the launch of the website in 2022. In fact, he penned the very first article published on supercarblondie.com. He’s covered subjects from cars to aircraft, watches, and luxury yachts - and even crypto. He can largely be found heading up the site’s new-supercar and SBX coverage and being the first to bring our readers the news that they’re hungry for.
