A K Turn (3-Point or Y) allows you turn around 180° quickly and is a required manouver for a driver’s test.

Introduction

Hi there smart drivers, Rick with Smart Drive Test talking to you today about how to do a 3 point turn.

The 3 point turn is another slow speed maneuver that you will be required to demonstrate for the purposes of a road test.

So what we’re going to do today we’re going to look up the cameras and what we’re going to do a three-point turn and show you step-by-step how to do a 3 point turn for the purposes of your road test.

The position of your vehicle on the roadway communicates your intentions and what you're most likely to be doing ie changing directions or going straight.

A 3 Point Turn (K or Y) allows you turn your vehicle around 180° quickly and efficiently.

Most of the time the examiners are going to indicate to you that you’re going to do a 3 point turn. They’re going to get you to pull over to the right side of the road.

Likely, they’re going to get you to do this on a dead-end street or a limited-access street.

If they do get you to do it on the street where there’s traffic in two directions you’re going to have to make sure that there isn’t any traffic coming from either direction when you move out to the left.

 

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How to do a 3 Point Turn

Once the instructor requests you to perform a 3 point turn, you will start by pulling over to the right side of the road. When you’re pulling over to the right side of the road, ensure that you check your mirrors, do a shoulder check, and signal to the right.

When you’re stopped on the side of the road, you’re going to do a mirror, signal, shoulder check and put your left signal on. Once you get your left signal on, steer all the way to the left. As you get near the center line, straighten the wheels out, and drive all the way to the curb on the other side.

When you get to the curb on the other side, put your right signal on, put the vehicle in reverse, and do a 360° scan. Scan that there isn’t any traffic coming from either direction.

Before staring your K turn, pull over to the curb and stop. After stopping, signal left, and begin your manoeuvre.

Before staring your K turn, pull over to the curb and stop. After stopping, signal left, and begin your manoeuvre.

Start to back up – when the vehicle starts to move, steer all the way to the right and look over your right shoulder. As you get to the center line straighten the wheels out and then look over your left shoulder because the left side of the vehicle is on an angle. It’s going to be the left wheel at the rear of the vehicle – the driver’s rear wheel is going to reach the curb first.

You want to look over your left shoulder, that way you know where to stop near the curb, when you get near the curb.

Put your left signal on, do a 360° scan, then signal to the left – look in the direction you want to go, and steer the vehicle, and accelerate into your intended path of travel.

So that’s the steps that you need to do in order to do the 3 point turn.

As you're driving forward and nearing the kerb for a 3 (K or Y) Point Turn, bring your steer tires back to straight.

As you’re driving forward and nearing the curb for a 3 (K or Y) Point Turn, bring your steer tires back to straight.

How to do a 3 Point Turn – Explained

So what we’re going to do here is demonstrating the 3 point turn and talk you through it step by step.

You’re going to pull up and pull over to the right side of the road.  Pull over to the right side of the road and be sure that you mirror, signal, shoulder check.

Be sure to signal throughout the K Turn manoeuvre. It is important that you communicate your intentions every time you change the vehicle's direction.

Be sure to signal throughout the K Turn manoeuvre. It is important that you communicate your intentions every time you change the vehicle’s direction.

When you pull over to the right side of the road the examiner may or may not indicate that you’re going to do a three-point turn as you’re pulling up.

So when you pull over to the right side of the road, secure the vehicle by putting it in park.

Most of you are going to be driving an automatic. For those of you who are brave enough to drive a manual transmission on your road test, put it in gear and apply the parking brake to secure the vehicle. And of course, shut off the engine before taking your foot off the throttle.

When the examiner tells you that you’re going to do a three-point turn, do a 360°-degree check and make sure that there isn’t any traffic coming from the front or any traffic from the rear.

Mirror, signal, shoulder check to the left. Put your left signal on and put the vehicle into drive or into a forward gear. As soon as the vehicle starts to move, steer rapidly all the way to the left.

When the vehicle gets to the centerline straighten the wheels out.

And as I said before, the steering wheel moves one-and-a-half turns all the way to the left, one and a half turns all the way to the right.

Before starting your 3 Point Turn and before reversing you must complete a 360° scan and give way to other traffic.

Before starting your 3 Point Turn and before reversing you must complete a 360° scan and give way to other traffic.

So in order to bring it back to straight you’ve got to bring the steering wheel back one-and-a-half turns back to straight. When you get to center line of the road, straighten the wheels and drive all the way to the curb or the edge of the road on the other side.

Stop – as soon as you stop the vehicle put it into reverse that way the reverse lights come on.

Put your right signal on – the flashing light gets the attention of other traffic if there is other traffic.

Before you start to reverse, do a 360° degree scan – make sure there aren’t any other vehicles or road users– pedestrians, bicycles, people on scooters, those types of things–even though you will probably be on a quiet street.

So make sure there aren’t any other road users. Look over your right shoulder.

Start to back up, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right one and a half turns to the right and begin to back up.

When you get to the center line, steer the vehicle back one-and-a-half turns back to straight and look over your left shoulder – this one over here [POINTING TO LEFT SHOULDER] …this time when you get to center look over that shoulder.

During a road test keep both hands on the outside of the steering wheel, unless you're shifting gears.

When turning the steering wheel for the 3 Point Turn (K or Y Turn) keep your hands on the outside of the steering wheel.

Back up until the rear tire on this side of the vehicle is against the curb.

Stop, put the vehicle in drive, do a 360° degree scan, put your left signal on and look in the path of travel.

If the way is clear and there aren’t any other road users or vehicles, proceed and look in your path of travel.

Steer the vehicle and accelerate into your intended path of travel.

That’s the step-by-step procedure for doing a three-point turn. It is one of the slow speed maneuvers that you will have to do for the purposes of a road test. Be prepared for that – go out and practice – find a quiet place that you can go and do a three-point turn – where there’s minimal traffic around.

When beginning to park between the cones, start by reversing from the drivers side - it's easier to see.

Before heading out to the road, practice your K Turn manoeuvre in a parking lot with pylons. Working with pylons will make it easier to know when your vehicle is close to the curb.

Conclusion

As you can see, when you break it down, step-by-step, it’s not as scary to do it correctly. This is one of the foundational maneouvers you will need to do to pass your driver’s test.

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Thanks again for watching and reading.

Good luck on your road test!

And remember, pick the best answer not necessarily the right answer.

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