LOW RISK DRIVING

G.41 The U-Turn

At first glance it may seem that turning the vehicle around to drive back in the direction you came from is not difficult. However, after parallel parking, the U-Turn fails more driving tests than any other manoeuvre. Furthermore, careless U-Turns cause many serious car crashes.

A safe U-Turn manoeuvre draws on all the attributes a good driver possesses: decisiveness, good judgement and detailed observation skills.

In heavy traffic, or where no obvious safe turning place is available, it may be better to drive around the block, instead of risking a U-Turn. Many collisions occur after a driver stops impulsively, and turns carelessly in a dangerous place.

The two essentials for a safe U-Turn are location and timing - where and when to do it, and where and when NOT to do it:

1. Decide where: You must know the turning circle of your car. Judge, if the width of the road allows for a U-Turn. If not, having to reverse will (in most cases) fail a driving test and is dangerous, if traffic approaches at high speed.

Choose a location, where you can see other traffic and they can see you, e.g. not near blind bends, where heavy vehicles restrict the view or below the crest of a hill. See and be seen!

2. Decide when: Beginners especially don't realize how much time and space is necessary to turn around and reach the speed of fast flowing traffic. If other traffic has to slow down considerably, it may lead to a misunderstanding, which may result in a crash.

As we have learned under the give-way rules, if a vehicle has to slow down considerably, or move around you after you turned around, you failed to give-way (yield). In a driving test this error is usually an instant fail.

Follow these steps, utilizing again the SYSTEM OF CAR CONTROL:

1. Course: Decide where to commence to U-Turn from (see above). There are 3 options, depending on the type of road: 1. Kerb. 2. Left-of-centre position or 3. From the far right-hand lane. (See diagrams below).

2. Mirror Check for traffic before stopping and again before pulling away from the kerb.

3. Signal Indicate early. Move toward the right or left, depending on the type of U-turn you are planning to do. Be sure that traffic behind passes you on the correct side.

4. Brake Stop (or slow the vehicle) at a suitable place. Remember - do not brake sharply, especially when traffic is following close behind you!

5. Gears (In manual vehicle mainly). First gear is best for a U-Turn. It forces you to turn at a very low and safe speed. (On a very wide road second may be OK).

6. Give way A vehicle U-turning must give way to all other traffic. Before pulling away another mirror check and signal is required. Please note: If turning near a side road, it may become a complex issue, as to who gives way. If in doubt, communicate with other drivers and show courtesy.

7. Go If moving off from the kerb, indicate right, check over shoulder. Failing the shoulder check at this point may cause a crash with traffic turning from a side road or driveway.

The three types of U - turn:

1. Un-laned road (no traffic island) - commence from the kerbside:

Stop the vehicle at a suitable place. (Not close to bus stops, driveways, no- standing areas, clearways or close to corners).

When clear, move your vehicle slowly and turn the steering wheel left (anti-clockwise) quickly, but do not force it.

Even with power steering, never force the steering wheel, while fully turned. It may damage the mechanics and wears the tyres.

When the car reaches the position shown here, turn the wheel slowly back to the right and bring the vehicle into a straight path. Any later and your vehicle may be moving toward the centre of the road, possibly into oncoming traffic.

2. Laned road (with traffic island) - commence from right hand lane:

The red vehicle U-turns from the right-hand turning lane. The van driver assumes the red vehicle will turn right and gives way.

Note the position the red vehicle is turning from. Any closer to the island and there may not be be sufficient space to U-Turn..

As soon as the van driver realizes the red vehicle is not turning right, he or she will commence to turn. The two vehicles pass each other on the 'offside".

Where possible, eye contact and some kind of communication may be required.

3. U-Turn through the mouth of a T-junction

1. Commence from the left-of-centre position. If positioned too far back or too far forward, you may not clear the kerb.

If this U-Turn is commenced from the kerbside there is more traffic to consider.

2. If the T-junction is a busy one, select an alternative place to turn around.

It would not be too late to abandon the U-Turn at this point, if a vehicle was approaching from the T-junction.

3. Just before finishing the turn check again for traffic.

In this case the red car must stop at this point and give way to traffic already travelling on the continuing road.

U-Turns go wrong when:

Drivers turn impulsively, without giving a proper signal and checking the road behind.

Drivers choose a dangerous place, blocking fast flowing traffic behind.

Drivers only check the rear-view mirror, but forget to check the side roads (blind-spots) for entering traffic,

Drivers misjudge the distance and speed of approaching traffic or simply ignore it, failing to obey a basic Give-Way Rule.

Not a good place to commence a U-turn from. >

Some reasons why drivers U-Turn impulsively:

Cheap petrol across the road? Forgot purse at home? Passenger wants to be dropped? Missed turn-off? Etc.

Never decide to turn around on impulse! That's when a crash happens!

Avoid driving errors,

Motor cars don't have EDIT / UNDO