It’s always best to give yourself a safety zone of at least a couple feet when you consider a wall anywhere close to a driveway edge.

This photo shows the wall actually curving in, at the end of the driveway where most of us would begin turning the steering wheel as we back out.

The end of the wall curves into the driveway. This is an obstacle that has obviously been hit a few times.
The end of the wall curves into the driveway. This is an obstacle that has obviously been hit a few times.

It is cracked and has had an obvious collision at least once – and perhaps more. I have seen this several times, and it’s almost like it is an optical illusion when a driver backs out of the driveway.

The Problem With Walls Alongside Your Driveway
The problem is that walls set too close to driveways WILL get hit causing considerable damage to the wall. Then add on the the damage the vehicle encounters. It is not advisable to build a wall directly adjacent to a functional driveway – if the drive will have vehicular traffic near the edges.

A Better Idea
My recommendation is to allow room for car doors opening, turning radiuses, young inexperienced drivers, some of us older ones and even for just being in a rush – when we might not pay as close attention to the location of the wall.

Where possible, push the walls back at least a couple of feet away from the driveway edge. If this is not possible, consider re-grading or re-thinking the overall design. Sometimes no wall may be the better option.

If you have a problem with a driveway wall or another landscaping issue, call me or use my contact form to ask me about your question!