U-Turn Rules in Victoria: Lights, Lines, Give Way

Photo: Bidgee, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In Victoria you can make a U-turn at traffic lights unless a No U-turn sign is there. That is the opposite of NSW, Queensland and every other state and territory. Wherever you turn, you must give way to all vehicles and pedestrians. This guide is for Victorian learners and P platers. It covers where U-turns are banned, who gives way, where to start the turn and how to signal, based on the Road Safety Road Rules 2017 and the Road to Solo Driving handbook.

Key facts

Traffic lights: a U-turn is allowed unless there is a No U-turn sign at the intersection (rule 40).
Children’s, pedestrian and level crossings: no U-turn, with or without lights, unless a U-turn Permitted sign is there (rule 43).
Dividing lines: never U-turn across a single continuous line, a continuous line to the left of a broken line, or double continuous lines.
No Right Turn sign: it also bans U-turns, unless a U-turn Permitted sign is there too.
Give way: to all vehicles and pedestrians. The only exception is a driver coming out of a driveway, car park or other road-related area. They must give way to you.

Can you do a U-turn at traffic lights in Victoria?

Yes, unless a No U-turn sign is at the intersection. Rule 40 of the Victorian Road Safety Road Rules 2017 only bans a U-turn at lights where that sign is shown. You still need a safe gap and a clear view, and you must obey the signals for your lane.

Every other Australian jurisdiction works the other way round. In NSW, Queensland, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the NT, a U-turn at traffic lights is banned unless a U-turn Permitted sign is shown. If you drive interstate, assume no U-turn at lights. See turning and indicating rules in Australia for the state-by-state picture.

Victoria does need a U-turn Permitted sign at three kinds of crossing, whether or not they have lights:

children’s crossings
pedestrian crossings
level crossings.

Where a road meets a car park or other road-related area at traffic lights, a No U-turn sign there bans the U-turn (rule 43A).

Where U-turns are banned in Victoria

Situation	Rule
No U-turn sign at an intersection (with or without lights)	Banned at that intersection
No U-turn sign at a break in a median strip	Banned at that break
No U-turn sign along a road (not at an intersection)	Banned from the sign to the next intersection, or to the end of the road at a T-intersection or dead end
No Right Turn sign	No right turn and no U-turn, unless a U-turn Permitted sign is also there
Single continuous dividing line	Banned
Continuous line on your side of a broken line	Banned
Double continuous lines	Banned
Children’s, pedestrian or level crossing	Banned unless a U-turn Permitted sign is shown
No clear view of approaching traffic, or you would unreasonably obstruct traffic	You must not begin the U-turn (rule 37)

A broken dividing line, or a broken line on your side of a continuous line, lets you U-turn if it is safe and the road ahead is clear. At an intersection without lights, a U-turn is allowed unless a No U-turn sign is there, even if the lane arrows say turn right.

Who gives way during a U-turn?

You do. Rule 38 says a driver making a U-turn must give way to all vehicles and pedestrians. This includes:

oncoming traffic and traffic coming up behind you
a car turning out of a side street, even when it faces a Stop or Give Way sign. Drivers at those signs do not have to give way to a vehicle making a U-turn.
a car turning left from a slip lane into the road you are turning into
pedestrians crossing anywhere on your path, and bicycle riders.

The one exception: a driver entering the road from a driveway, car park or other land beside the road must give way to you.

Scenario

You stop in the right lane of a two-lane road to U-turn. A car is waiting at a Give Way sign in a side street on the far side, ready to turn left into the lane you want. Legally, you give way to it. Wait until it has gone and the whole path is clear. If the gap never comes, drive on and turn around somewhere easier.

Where to start a U-turn

Road with a median strip or dividing line, at an intersection: start from the marked lane nearest the median or dividing line (rule 42). On a divided road this means the right lane.
Any other intersection: start from the left of the centre of the road.
Road with no median: the handbook advises starting from the left side of the road. Watch for traffic coming from behind you.

Signalling for a U-turn

A U-turn is a change of direction to the right, so you must give a right signal for long enough to warn other drivers and pedestrians. If you start the U-turn from a parked position at the side of the road, the right signal must be on for at least 5 seconds before you move off. Turn the signal off once the turn is finished.

How to do a U-turn: step by step

Check for signs and the line markings in the centre of the road.
Check that the road is wide enough to turn in one go. If not, use a three-point turn or drive around the block.
Position in the correct lane, or at the left of the road where there is no median.
Signal right for a reasonable time.
Check your mirrors and do a head check over your right shoulder.
Wait until you have a clear view both ways and a gap for the whole turn, including pedestrians.
Turn smoothly, then straighten up in the correct lane and cancel the signal.

When someone else is U-turning

You may overtake on the left of a vehicle that is U-turning from the centre of the road with its right indicator on.
You may drive in a bus lane for up to 100 metres to get past a vehicle U-turning from the centre of the road.
If you are coming out of a driveway or car park, the U-turning driver has priority over you.

Common questions

Is a U-turn at traffic lights legal in Victoria?

Yes, unless a No U-turn sign is there. This is unique to Victoria: elsewhere in Australia you need a U-turn Permitted sign.

Can I U-turn across double white lines?

No. You must not cross double continuous lines, a single continuous line or a continuous line on your side to make a U-turn.

Does a No Right Turn sign mean no U-turn?

Yes. A No Right Turn sign bans U-turns too, unless a U-turn Permitted sign is also shown.

Do I have to give way to a car at a Stop sign when I U-turn?

Yes. A U-turning driver gives way to all vehicles, and the driver at the Stop sign does not have to give way to you.

Can I U-turn at a pedestrian crossing?

Only if a U-turn Permitted sign is there. The same applies at children’s crossings and level crossings.

How far does a No U-turn sign apply?

A sign along a road applies until the next intersection, or to the end of the road if it ends at a T-intersection or dead end. A sign at an intersection or median break applies there only.

Related guides

Sources

Victorian Government, “Road Safety Road Rules 2017, version 027, rules 37 to 43A, 48, 91 and 132” (legislation.vic.gov.au)
Department of Transport and Planning, “Road to Solo Driving” handbook, U-turns, giving way and dividing lines (transport.vic.gov.au)
Queensland Government, “Transport Operations (Road Use Management, Road Rules) Regulation 2009, section 40” (legislation.qld.gov.au)
Transport for NSW, “Road User Handbook”, U-turns and three-point turns (nsw.gov.au)

U-Turns in Victoria: Where You Can’t and Who Gives Way