Parking lessons · Distances worth memorizing
Where you may not park
Hydrants, crosswalks, stop signs, fire stations and railroad crossings, from two state manuals side by side.
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Step 1 of 1
Keep your distance
Most no-parking distances are measured from the hydrant, crosswalk, sign or rail. The table below gives New York's and Pennsylvania's numbers; your state's manual has its own list.
From: New York State DMV, Drivers Manual, Chapter 7: Parallel Parking; PennDOT, Pennsylvania Driver's Manual: Parking
| Do not park within | New York | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Fire hydrant | 15 ft | 15 ft |
| Crosswalk at an intersection | 20 ft | 20 ft |
| STOP sign, YIELD sign or traffic signal | 30 ft | 30 ft |
| Fire station driveway | 20 ft (75 ft on the opposite side) | 20 ft |
| Railroad crossing (nearest rail) | 50 ft | 50 ft |
Pennsylvania also lists: in front of a driveway, in an intersection or on a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, bridge or railroad tracks, and double parked. Your state's manual has its own list and numbers.
Practice it
Each time you park on your next drive, point out the nearest hydrant, crosswalk or STOP sign and say whether you are far enough from it, before the adult beside you does. Then log the drive.
Lessons are written in Park Weldon's own words from the manuals cited on each step (fetched October 2026). Rules differ between states and change: your own state's driver manual wins.