For some, the dreaded parallel park — squeezing into a 19- by 9-foot parking space with traffic waiting behind you — can make you sweat bullets. But now, you'll need that skill to pass the D.C.

Parallel parking tends to strike fear in new drivers. It's one of the common mistakes that cause people to fail their driving test. But once you know the steps, it's a skill you can rely on every day, ...