Where you may not park or stop

Key points

1. Do not park within 8 feet of a fire hydrant.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “Within 8 feet of a fire hydrant.”
   Rhode Island Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 32

2. Do not park within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.”
   Rhode Island Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 32

3. Do not park within 30 feet of a flashing red or yellow light, a stop sign or a traffic light.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “Within 30 feet of a flashing red or yellow light, a stop sign, or a traffic light.”
   Rhode Island Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 32

4. Where signs are posted, stay 20 feet from a fire station driveway, or 75 feet when across the street.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “Within 20 feet of the driveway of a fire station or across the street within 75 feet of the driveway, where there are signs.”
   Rhode Island Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 32

5. Do not park within 50 feet of a railroad crossing, except briefly to load or unload passengers or packages.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “Within 50 feet of the nearest rail or a railroad crossing, unless you stop for just a short time to load or unload passengers or packages.”
   Rhode Island Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 32

6. Never double park, and never park on a sidewalk or within an intersection.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “Beside a vehicle stopped or parked at the side of a street (Double Parking). 3. On a sidewalk. 4. Within an intersection.”
   Rhode Island Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 32

7. On a two lane road, your right wheels must be no more than 12 inches from the curb or road edge.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “a vehicle parked on a two-lane road must have the right wheels a maximum of twelve (12) inches from the right side of the road or curb.”
   Rhode Island Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 32

8. When you park, stop the engine, remove the key and set the parking brake.

   Source: Handbook p. 31

   “Stop the engine, lock the ignition switch, remove the key, and set the parking brake.”
   Rhode Island Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 31

9. Before pulling out of a parking space, check mirrors and look over your left shoulder, then signal.

   Source: Handbook p. 31

   “Check the rear view and side view mirrors and look over your left shoulder to cover the blind spots. Signal first, then drive out carefully.”
   Rhode Island Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 31

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Rhode Island practice test

1. 1. How close to a fire hydrant may a vehicle be parked in Rhode Island?

   1. No closer than 20 feet
   2. No closer than 15 feet
   3. No closer than 8 feet
   4. No closer than 30 feet
   Show answer

   No closer than 8 feet. Rhode Island's hydrant distance is shorter than most states: parking is prohibited within 8 feet of a fire hydrant. The 15 foot figure used elsewhere is the tempting wrong answer. The same list bars parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within 30 feet of a flashing red or yellow light, stop sign or traffic light, and in front of any driveway. Firefighters need that space to connect hoses without moving your car.

2. 2. How far from a crosswalk at an intersection must a Rhode Island driver avoid parking?

   1. Within 20 feet
   2. Within 5 feet
   3. Within 50 feet
   4. Only directly on the painted stripes
   Show answer

   Within 20 feet. Rhode Island's parking restrictions include the space within twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection. The prohibition is broader than the painted stripes themselves, so parking five feet away still blocks the protected approach and is not allowed. Fifty feet is a different distance used elsewhere in the parking list, including railroad crossings. Before leaving a vehicle, scan beyond the exact markings and measure the nearby curb features that create a statutory buffer.

3. 3. How far from a stop sign, traffic light, or flashing signal must a Rhode Island driver park?

   1. At least 8 feet
   2. At least 20 feet
   3. At least 30 feet
   4. At least 50 feet
   Show answer

   At least 30 feet. Parking is prohibited within 30 feet of a flashing red or yellow light, a stop sign, or a traffic light, so approaching drivers can see the control. Eight feet is the hydrant distance, 20 feet is the crosswalk and fire station driveway distance, and 50 feet is the railroad crossing distance. Where parking is permitted on a two lane road, a parked vehicle must have its right wheels at the edge of the road.

Source: the Rhode Island Driver's Manual, III. Basic Driving Skills and Safety Rules. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.