Turns, U-turns and turn lanes

By the end of this topic you can

• You can make right and left turns from the correct lane position.
• You can decide when a right turn on red is allowed.
• You can use a two-way left-turn lane correctly.
• You can judge when a U-turn is legal and safe.
• You can do a three-point turn on a narrow road.

What you need to know and understand

• Right turns: start and end close to the right side of the road.
• Left turns: start and end in the far left lane for your direction. Keep your wheels straight while you wait.
• In Ontario, you may turn right on red after a full stop unless a sign prohibits it. You may turn left on red only from a one-way road onto another one-way road.
• In Quebec, right on red is allowed after a stop except on the island of Montreal and where signs prohibit it.
• Two-way left-turn lanes are shared by both directions for turning left. Never use them for passing.
• In Ontario, never make a U-turn unless you can see at least 150 metres in both directions. Do not U-turn on curves, hills, near railway crossings, or near bridges or tunnels that block your view.
• Signalling does not give you the right of way.

Making a left turn at an intersection

1. Check mirrors and blind spot, then signal well ahead.
2. Move into the left-most lane for your direction, or the marked left-turn lane.
3. Slow down and finish braking before you steer.
4. If you must wait, stop at the stop line, or move into the intersection only where the rules allow, and keep your wheels pointing straight.
5. Yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
6. Turn into the left-most lane of the new road, then check mirrors and cancel the signal if needed.

Right turns and cyclists

Before turning right, check your right mirror and look over your right shoulder for cyclists in a bike lane, on the sidewalk or on a trail. Let them pass first. Watch for pedestrians crossing the road you are turning into, even if your light is green.

U-turns and three-point turns

U-turns are banned in some places by sign or local bylaw, and are never safe where your view is limited. On a narrow road where a U-turn will not fit, a three-point turn lets you turn around: start from the far right, steer sharply left across to the far side, reverse while steering right back towards the side you started from, then drive forward. Check all around before each step.

Common mistakes

• Turning the wheels left while waiting to turn left. If hit from behind, you would be pushed into oncoming traffic.
• Swinging wide on a right turn into another lane.
• Using a two-way left-turn lane to pass slow traffic.
• Turning right on red in Montreal out of habit.
• Forgetting the shoulder check for cyclists before a right turn.

Test yourself: Turns, U-turns and turn lanes

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Two-Way Left-Turn Lane Rules in Canada, Plus Dual Turn Lanes
• Driving in Montreal as a new driver