It's hard to drive in the District, let alone park. And for some would-be drivers in the area, that's not just because the parking garages are so expensive.
The D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles says that, since the city added parallel parking back to its driving test in 2021, the test's failure rate has gone up 10%.
Parallel parking was cut from the driving exam back in 2009.
But anyone getting their license for the first time, or renewing it after it's been expired for more than a year and a half, has to take the new version of the skills test.
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Aspiring drivers only get six chances in one year to pass the test and get a driver's license, and they have to wait at least 72 hours after failing the test before they're eligible to take it again.
If they fail all six times, they have to wait a full 12 months from the date of the first attempt to try again.
Nearby Maryland and Virginia don't require parallel parking on their skills tests.
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But no matter where you live, if you want to learn the skill and take advantage of more street parking options, the DC DMV has a helpful video on how to properly parallel park.
Watch below:
