A 3-minute lesson from the Mississippi course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
More accidents happen at intersections than anywhere else, often because drivers fail to communicate or take an unnecessary chance when turning. A safe turn is planned: know your route, signal, get into the right lane early, then turn smoothly.
Six guidelines for a safe turn:
1. Know where you want to turn; if unsure, drive slowly and read the signs. Avoid last-minute turns
2. Signal what you intend to do, giving pedestrians and drivers advance notice
3. Get into the correct lane as soon as possible
4. Look in all directions before changing lanes or turning; don't assume others see you
5. Slow down well before the crosswalk; keep your wheels straight until the turn starts
6. Stay in your lane throughout the turn and finish in the proper lane
Sometimes you'll need to turn your car around in a confined space. The handbook's method uses forward and backward moves, repeated until you're facing the other way.
Turning around in a confined space:
1. From the extreme right side, signal and turn the wheel sharply left while inching forward
2. Wheels fully left, drive slowly to within a few inches of the left curb or road edge
3. Turn sharply right while inching backward; back slowly to within a few inches of the curb
4. Turn your wheels left and pull forward. Repeat as needed until the turn is complete
You realize at the last moment that you're passing the street you wanted. Don't swerve into it. Continue on, then plan the next turn: signal early, get into the correct lane, slow down before the crosswalk and turn at a steady speed.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
When making a three-point turn to reverse direction, where do you start from?
The extreme right side of the road
The extreme left side of the road
The center of the road
A parking lane only
Answer: The extreme right side of the road
The turn-around procedure begins from the extreme right side of the road.
