Turning Techniques: Right Turns, Left Turns & Hand-over-Hand Steering

Before you turn a corner, you need to know what is beside and behind you. Always check your mirrors and over your shoulder to make sure the way is clear and you have enough space to complete the move safely.\n\nGeneral Turning Principles:\nTo turn a corner, signal well before the turn. When the way is clear, move into the proper lane, either the far right lane for a right turn or the far left lane in your direction for a left turn. Signal your turn and look from side to side and check your blind spots to make sure the way is clear.\n\nSlow down before you enter the turn; the sharper the turn, the slower you should go. To keep full control of the vehicle, finish braking before you turn the steering wheel.\n\nHand-over-Hand Steering:\nFor a sharp turn, turn the steering wheel with one hand and cross the other hand over it. Grip the wheel on the other side and continue turning. This is called 'hand over hand steering.' When you have completed the turn, relax your grip on the steering wheel and let it slip or gently feed it through your hands to return to the straight-ahead position. Do not turn the steering wheel with one finger or the flat palm of your hand. Gradually increase speed as you complete the turn.\n\nImportant Safety Rule:\nRemember, drivers often lose control of vehicles and skid because they try to do more than one thing at a time. Try not to brake and steer at the same time.\n\nRight Turns:\nUnless signs or pavement markings tell you not to, always begin and end a right turn close to the right side of the road. To make a right turn, signal well before the turn and move into the right-hand lane when the way is clear. If the right-hand lane is not marked, keep as far to the right of the road as possible. Look ahead, left, right and left again before starting to turn. If you have not seen any smaller vehicles or pedestrians, check your right rear blind spot. Let cyclists, limited-speed motorcycles, or moped riders go through the intersection before you turn. When it is safe, complete your turn into the right-hand lane of the road you are entering.\n\nLeft Turns:\nUnless signs or pavement markings tell you not to, always begin and end a left turn in the far left lane in your direction. To make a left turn, signal well before the turn and move into the far left lane when the way is clear. Look ahead, behind, left, right and left again and check your blind spots. Make your turn when the way is clear.\n\nImportant Left Turn Safety:\nWhen you are stopped at an intersection waiting for approaching traffic to clear, don't turn your steering wheel to the left until you can complete the turn. With your wheels turned to the left, your vehicle could be pushed into the path of oncoming traffic.\n\nWhen two vehicles coming from opposite directions meet in an intersection waiting to turn left, each should turn to the left of the other after yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians and oncoming traffic.\n\nMotorcycles, bicycles, limited-speed motorcycles and mopeds turn left at intersections in the same way as larger vehicles. If you are making a left turn behind one of these vehicles, do not pull up beside it to make your turn at the same time. Stay behind and turn when the way is clear. Wait for the smaller vehicle to move right before you pass.