Manitoba Turning, Lane Change and Parking Rules

Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This guide covers the everyday driving skills in Chapters 5, 6, 8 and 9 of the MPI Driver’s Handbook: starting out, lane changes, curves, turns, roundabouts, passing, backing, parking and vehicle equipment. These are the skills the Manitoba road test checks under vehicle control and rules of the road. In Manitoba you signal at least 30 m before a turn, or 150 m outside cities, towns and villages, and you shoulder check before every lane change.

Starting out and lane changes

Hold the wheel at 9 and 3 o’clock. Don’t palm the wheel or steer with one finger.
Accelerate smoothly and gradually from a stop, foot flat on the pedal with your heel on the floor. Too much gas on a slippery road can spin the wheels and cost you control.
Automatic: come to a complete stop before shifting between forward and reverse. A lower gear on a steep downhill keeps your speed down and your brakes cool.
Manual: start the engine in neutral with the clutch fully down. Shift down if the engine lugs and up if it races. Take your foot off the clutch after each shift, don’t hold the car on a hill with the clutch, and don’t coast to a stop. Your owner’s manual gives the shift pattern and speeds.
Pulling away from the curb: signal away from the curb (or use a hand signal), shoulder check, then move.
Changing lanes: check the mirror, signal, shoulder check, and move only when it is safe.
Blind spots: the inside mirror and the side mirror each miss areas beside and behind you. You only see them all by using both mirrors and a shoulder check.
You may cross several lanes with one signal and one shoulder check if you can do it safely. If you can only use mirrors, change one lane at a time.
Never change lanes in an intersection. Signal and check even to move around parked cars.
Hand signals: left arm straight out for a left turn, bent up for a right turn, bent down for a stop.

Curves

Slow down before the curve and avoid braking in it.
If you enter too fast, brake gently. Don’t jam the brakes.
In a left-hand curve, steer toward the centre of the road but not over it. In a right-hand curve, keep to the right.
Watch for oncoming drivers who drift into your lane.

Turning rules in Manitoba

Decide well ahead where you will turn and get into the right lane using the lane change rules. Then signal at least 30 m before the turn, or 150 m outside cities, towns and villages. In a manual car, shift to the proper gear before you turn.

Right turns

Turn from the lane nearest the curb into the lane nearest the curb. If that lane is blocked within 30 m, you may use the next lane if no traffic is coming into it.
Yield to pedestrians and to cyclists on your right.
Where a white line marks the shoulder, stay left of it. Don’t drive on the shoulder.
On a wide road with no white line, keep well over to the right. Watch for anyone driving illegally on the shoulder.
On a high-speed highway, shoulders are for stopped or disabled vehicles, but get off the travel lanes as quickly as you reasonably can when fast traffic is following you.
A right turn on red is allowed after a full stop unless a sign says otherwise. It is never allowed when a green left arrow shows with a red light.

Left turns

From	To	How
Two-way	Two-way	Move close to the centre line. Enter to the right of the dividing line and turn left of the centre of the intersection. On a four-lane highway outside a city, town or village, move right after the turn if traffic permits.
One-way	One-way	From the lane nearest the left curb into the lane nearest the left curb. A left on red is allowed after stopping and yielding, unless a sign says otherwise.
One-way	Two-way	From the lane nearest the left curb into the lane just right of the centre line.
Two-way	One-way	From the lane next to the centre line into the lane nearest the left curb.
Double left-turn lanes	Two lanes	Stay in your matching lane: inner to inner, second to second.
Stop sign	Street with a boulevard	Stop fully. Go when nothing is coming from the left or turning in front of you. If traffic is coming from the right, establish your car in the intersection, then finish left of the centre, in the boulevard area.
Any street	Driveway or back lane	Signal and move into the proper lane before you turn left.

Before any left turn, check for signs restricting it, then watch for pedestrians, traffic from the left and right, vehicles in the intersection and oncoming traffic. Never enter an intersection if it is unsafe or blocked, or if backed-up traffic means you can’t clear it.

Left turn on a green light: move to just before the centre of the intersection and wait there. Turn when there is a big enough gap and no pedestrians in your path. If the light turns amber or red while you are already in the intersection, complete the turn when it is safe. If you are not yet in the intersection when the light changes, don’t start the turn.

U-turns and turnabouts

U-turns are banned on curves, near the crest of a hill without 150 m of clear view, and where a sign prohibits them. MPI advises against U-turns unless there is a U-turn signal. Go around the block instead. In rural areas, carry on to a side road and make a regular turn back onto the highway, because a U-turn at highway speeds is extremely dangerous. The handbook also describes a three-point turn (backing into a driveway or intersection) and a turnabout on a dead-end street. In both, stop parallel to the curb and no more than 45 cm from it before you start. With no curb, stop as far off the travelled road as you can. Don’t block an entrance, an intersection or other traffic.

Three-point turn: check traffic and your blind spot, and signal right before slowing, unless a side road or driveway lies before your stopping point. Stop, then check your mirrors and right shoulder, with your right signal or four-way flashers on. Steer sharply right and reverse slowly into the lane or driveway until you are behind the sidewalk with a clear view. Signal left, shift to forward, check both ways and steer left into the traffic lane.

Dead-end turnabout: stop as above, check your mirrors and left shoulder, and signal left. Steer sharply left across the road and stop at the far side. Reverse with the wheel sharply right until you face the new direction, then drive ahead. Reverse only once, and never back over the edge, shoulder or curb. After either turn, accelerate smoothly to blend with traffic.

Roundabouts in Manitoba

Slow to the posted speed or less. Be ready to yield to pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles already in the roundabout.
Enter when no traffic is coming from your left. If two vehicles arrive together, the one on the right goes first.
Once you are in the roundabout, you have the right-of-way over entering vehicles.
Signal before your exit, and yield to pedestrians and cyclists as you leave.

Speed, following and passing

Unless posted, the limit is 90 km/h in rural areas and 50 km/h in urban areas. Driving so slowly that you block traffic is also unsafe.
Use at least a four-second following distance in ideal conditions.
To measure it, pick a marker. When the vehicle ahead passes it, count one thousand and one up to one thousand and four. If you reach the marker first, you are too close. If someone follows you too closely, slow gradually to give them time to react.
Passing: check ahead, check mirrors, signal, check your left blind spot, check ahead again. Return when the passed vehicle shows in your rear-view mirror, after a right shoulder check and signal.
You close on oncoming traffic at twice your speed or more, so gaps are hard to judge. On highways, watch for vehicles parked on the other side that may pull out.
When someone passes you, slow down and keep as far right as you can. Be ready for wind turbulence from large trucks.
Never pass: on the shoulder, beside a vehicle that has stopped for a pedestrian, in a school area at restricted times, where the road ahead isn’t clear, or in highway construction.
Passing on the right is allowed only when the vehicle is turning left, on one-way streets, or on streets with marked lanes.
Exceeding the speed limit while passing is illegal.
Expressways: rear-end crashes are the main risk at entrances. In the entrance lane, match traffic and keep space ahead. If you may have to slow or stop, touch your brakes to warn drivers behind and stop only just before the merge lane begins. Use the merge lane to match speed and don’t stop at its end. To leave, move to the exit lane early and hold your speed until you are fully on the ramp, then slow to the posted speed. If you miss an exit, go on to the next one. Never back up.
At an uncontrolled intersection, the vehicle on the left yields to the vehicle on the right.
Both vehicles must slow at an uncontrolled intersection, and the driver with the right-of-way must still take care to avoid a collision.
Coming out of a private road, lane, driveway or parking lot: stop before the sidewalk and yield to all pedestrians and traffic.
Funeral processions: yield to them. Vehicles with lit headlights following a lead car, which may show a flashing purple light, may go through a red light or stop sign with caution if traffic and local bylaws permit.

Backing up

Check your mirrors and look over your shoulder before backing, including for small children.
To back straight or to the right, look over your right shoulder. To back to the left, look over your left shoulder.
Never pass close behind a truck that is backing. Most trailers are about 2.5 m wide and hide everything behind them.

Parallel parking: the road test method

The Manitoba road test asks you to back into a space of about 1.85 m by 7.5 m. You get three attempts or four minutes.

Check your mirrors. Warn drivers behind by flashing your brake lights about three times or using a hand signal, turn on your right signal, then stop about 1 m beside the car ahead of the space (Vehicle B), with your rear bumper level with its rear bumper.
Check mirrors and blind spots. Back slowly, steering sharply right until you are at about 45 degrees to the curb. Stop when your steering wheel lines up with Vehicle B’s rear bumper.
Straighten the wheels and keep backing until the right end of your front bumper has passed Vehicle B’s rear bumper.
Steer sharply left as you continue slowly back, keeping clear of Vehicle B. Your right rear wheel should end up close to the curb.
Pull forward, steering right, until you are parallel to the curb, no more than 45 cm from it, and centred in the space.

Touching a pole, mounting the curb, or driving between the poles that represent the front or back car fails the exercise.

Angle, reverse-angle and hill parking

Angle parking: signal, slow down, check traffic ahead and behind, and approach about one vehicle width from the parked cars. When your front is level with the back of the stall, steer sharply in. Shoulder check both sides before backing out.
Back-in (reverse) angle parking: look for the sign, stop when your back bumper lines up with the parked car ahead, then reverse in. To leave, signal, check for oncoming traffic and pull out slowly, with a better view of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.
Hills: put the car in Park (automatic) or reverse or low gear (manual), and set the parking brake firmly.

Parking on a hill	Turn the front wheels
Uphill with a curb	Away from the curb
Downhill with a curb	Toward the curb
No curb, uphill or downhill	Slightly to the right

Where you can’t park in Manitoba

Place	Minimum distance
Fire hydrant (point on the curb opposite it)	3 m
Crosswalk	3 m, and never on it
Stop sign or traffic sign or signal at an intersection	9 m
Pedestrian corridor	15 m
Fire station driveway	6 m, unless posted
Nearest rail of a railway crossing	30 m, unless posted

Also illegal: parking on a sidewalk, across a driveway, lane or intersection, beside a car that is already parked (double parking), at a curve outside a city, town or village where your car can’t be seen from 60 m in each direction, or anywhere your car becomes a hazard or breaks a law or bylaw. Spaces for people with disabilities are only for a vehicle showing a valid permit and carrying the permit holder.

Vehicle equipment Manitoba law requires

You are responsible for keeping your vehicle safe, so check it thoroughly at least twice a year. Police can order defects repaired immediately. If you don’t comply, your registration may be suspended until a mechanic certifies the repairs.

Brakes: a passenger car at 30 km/h must stop within 7.6 m, and a truck or van under 4,540 kg within 9 m.
Tires: replace when tread is under 1.6 mm. Studded tires are illegal from 30 April to 1 October. Use tires of the same construction and size, and check the pressure at least monthly with a gauge, ideally when they are cool. Replace any tire with deep cuts, cracks, blisters or bulges. Wear at the edges points to under-inflation, and wear in the centre to over-inflation.
Lights: working high and low beams, daytime running lights on vehicles built from 1 December 1989, turn signals, rear lights, a centre brake light on cars built after 1986, and a plate light.
Horn: must be heard at least 60 m away.

Mirrors: every vehicle needs a clear rear view. Vans, trucks, campers and cars pulling trailers need outside mirrors on both sides. Remove extended mirrors when you aren’t towing.
Wipers and washer: working front wipers, and a working washer on vehicles from 1971 on.
Speedometer and odometer: both must work, and altering an odometer is illegal.
Muffler: required, and it is illegal to bypass or gut one. A leaky muffler can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
Body: passenger cars need front and rear bumpers, and it is illegal to raise or lower the original suspension.

Windows: from 1 November to 31 March, your vehicle must keep the windshield, rear window and side windows free of frost.
Loads: a load sticking out 1 m or more at the back needs a red flag by day and a red light or reflector at night.
Seatbelts: everyone wears one, snug over the shoulder and across the hips, flat, and never under the arm. The driver is responsible for securing every minor. It is illegal to drive with a belt removed or modified to make it less effective.

Child seats: rear-facing from birth until the seat’s limits, then forward-facing with the tether always attached, then a booster until the child is at least 145 cm, 36 kg or nine years old. The rear middle seat is safest. Use the seatbelt or the Universal Anchorage System, not both, and the seat should move no more than one inch. Never secure a booster with a lap belt alone, and keep an empty booster buckled.
Gauges and airbags: know your oil pressure, temperature, charging and fuel gauges. Don’t drive if the temperature gauge reads high, and check your manual if a warning light comes on. Airbags add protection, mainly in head-on and side crashes.
Emissions: keep your car tuned and your tires inflated, don’t idle while parked, walk short trips or take the bus when you can, and check fuel efficiency before buying or leasing.

You may leave a running vehicle unattended only to warm it up or defrost the windshield.
Look for traffic and cyclists before opening a door. If you leave the engine running, MPI recommends a spare key and locking the door.

Common questions

How far before a turn do you signal in Manitoba?

At least 30 m. Outside cities, towns and villages, at least 150 m.

Can you turn left on a red light in Manitoba?

Only from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after stopping and yielding to pedestrians and traffic, unless a sign says otherwise.

Who goes first at a Manitoba roundabout?

Traffic already in the roundabout. When entering, yield to traffic from your left. If two cars arrive together, the one on the right enters first.

How close to the curb do you need to park?

No more than 45 cm when parallel parking. On the road test, the front and back of the car must be 46 cm (18 inches) or closer.

When can you pass on the right in Manitoba?

Only when the vehicle ahead is turning left, on one-way streets, or on streets with marked lanes. Never on the shoulder.

Is a U-turn legal in Manitoba?

Sometimes. It is banned on curves, near hilltops without 150 m of clear view, and where signs prohibit it. MPI advises using a U-turn signal or going around the block.

Back to the full guide to learning to drive in Manitoba. Related: the Manitoba road test, the MPI knowledge test and sharing Manitoba roads.

Sources

Manitoba Public Insurance, “Driver’s Handbook: Starting Out”, “Starting”, “Lane Changing”, “Hand Signals” and “Curves” (apps.mpi.mb.ca)
Manitoba Public Insurance, “Driver’s Handbook: General Rules of Turning”, “Right Turns”, “Left Turns”, “U-turns” and “Roundabouts” (apps.mpi.mb.ca)
Manitoba Public Insurance, “Driver’s Handbook: Speed”, “Following Safely”, “Passing”, “Entering and Leaving an Expressway” and “Right-of-Way” (apps.mpi.mb.ca)
Manitoba Public Insurance, “Driver’s Handbook: Backing Up”, “Backing Test”, “Parallel Parking”, “Angle Parking”, “Reverse Angle Parking”, “Parking on a Hill”, “Illegal Parking”, “Three-Point Turn” and “Dead-End Street” (apps.mpi.mb.ca)
Manitoba Public Insurance, “Driver’s Handbook: Required Equipment”, “Seatbelts” and “Parking Pointers” (apps.mpi.mb.ca)
Manitoba Public Insurance, “Driver’s Handbook: Blind Spots”, “Circle Check”, “Other Equipment”, “Infant and Child Car Seats” and “Environmental Consequences of Driving” (apps.mpi.mb.ca)
Manitoba Public Insurance, “Driver’s Handbook: Traffic Control Signals” (apps.mpi.mb.ca)
Manitoba Public Insurance, “Testing for your Class 5 licence” (mpi.mb.ca)

Manitoba Turning Rules: Lane Changes, Curves, Backing, Parking