Roadwise States South Carolina Driving lessons Turning & turnabouts South Carolina driving lesson · General Driving
Turning & turnabouts A 4-minute lesson from the South Carolina course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 4 minutes
Course unit General Driving
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 76, 77, 78, 79 Good turns start early: search, signal, get into the right lane, then turn from the correct part of that lane. When you need to reverse direction, a turnabout does it safely where you can't go around the block.
When turning: Search all corners for traffic controls, pedestrians and vehicles, and signal Enter and stay in the lane closest to the direction you want to turn Look through the turn to the farthest point along your path Accelerate smoothly, make sure your signal cancels, and watch traffic behind Handbook p. 76 ↗ Know the rule
Right turns: avoid swinging wide to the left first, and always turn from the right-most portion of your lane.
Handbook p. 77 ↗ Know the rule
Left turns: yield to oncoming traffic, and always turn from the left-most portion of your lane.
Handbook p. 77 ↗ Know the rule
Multiple turning lanes: identify and enter the lane you'll turn from, and stay in it until the turn is complete.
Handbook p. 77 ↗ Left and right turn paths Two-point turnabout Using a street, alley or driveway to reverse direction when it isn't practical or possible to drive around the block.
Handbook p. 77 ↗ Reverse two-point turnabout (driveway on your right): Signal right; stop and check traffic to the sides and rear Back up until your rear bumper reaches the near edge of the driveway While backing slowly, steer rapidly all the way to the right As the car centers in the driveway, straighten the wheels and stop Shift to drive, check both ways, signal and turn left into the proper lane Handbook p. 77 ↗ Forward two-point turnabout (driveway on your left): Check mirrors and signal left; move close to the center of the road Turn into the driveway or alley as near as possible to its left side Stop when the rear clears the curb or driveway edge Check all directions, signal right, shift to reverse Back slowly, turning the wheel quickly all the way right As the car centers in the nearest lane, straighten, stop, shift to drive, cancel signal, go Handbook p. 78 ↗ Know the rule
Use a three-point turnabout only when the street is too narrow for a U-turn and you can't go around the block, and only on a two-lane road that isn't busy. On a busy street, circle the block instead.
Handbook p. 78 ↗ Know the rule
Do a three-point turnabout without hitting the curb, driving off the road surface, or using a side street or driveway.
Handbook p. 78 ↗ Three-point turnabout: 1. Check mirrors, signal right, and stop at the right edge of the road 2. Signal left, check traffic and your left blind spot; turn hard left across and stop 3. Reverse; check traffic and both blind spots (not just the mirror); turn hard right and stop 4. Drive; check traffic and blind spots; turn hard left into the right lane going the new way Check that your turn signal has cancelled and continue straight Handbook p. 79 ↗ Put it into practice
You overshoot a friend's house on a quiet, narrow two-lane street with no driveway handy. A three-point turnabout works here. If it were a busy street, you'd circle the block instead.
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 right turn, you should turn from: The right side of your lane The center of your lane The left-most portion of your lane Whichever part lets you swing wide Answer: The right side of your lane
Always turn right from the right-most portion of your lane.
Handbook p. 77 ↗ When making a left turn, you should turn from: The right-most portion of your lane The left-most portion of your lane The center of the intersection Whichever portion is clear of traffic Answer: The left-most portion of your lane
Always turn left from the left-most portion of your lane, yielding to oncoming traffic.
Handbook p. 77 ↗ When turning, you should avoid: Signaling your intentions Looking through the turn Swinging wide to the left before making a right turn Checking for pedestrians Answer: Swinging wide to the left before making a right turn
You should avoid swinging wide to the left before making a right turn.
Handbook p. 76 ↗ A three-point turnabout should be used only when: You are on a busy multi-lane highway You want to save time on any road An officer directs you to do so The road is too narrow for a U-turn and you can't go around the block Answer: The road is too narrow for a U-turn and you can't go around the block
Use a three-point turnabout only when the road is too narrow to U-turn and you cannot go around the block.
Handbook p. 78 ↗ In a three-point turnabout, what is the correct first step? Pull to the right edge and stop Reverse to the center of the road Turn hard left from a moving start Signal a right turn and proceed forward Answer: Pull to the right edge and stop
First, signal and pull to the right edge of the road and stop, before turning hard left across the road.
Handbook p. 78 ↗ A two-point turnabout uses what to reverse your direction of travel? The full width of a two-lane road A street, alley, or driveway A median opening on a divided road A circle around the entire block Answer: A street, alley, or driveway
In a two-point turnabout, a street, alley, or driveway is used to reverse direction when you cannot practically drive around the block.
Handbook p. 77 ↗ Previous lesson Pavement markings & crosswalks Next lesson Intersections, DDIs & RCUTs About the source Roadwise’s South Carolina course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 76, 77, 78, 79. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
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