Move into the left lane well before the intersection and make the turn from there; swinging across several lanes at the last moment is dangerous and confuses other drivers.
To signal that you are stopping or slowing down, put your left arm out of the window and angle it downward so the hand points at the ground. In the picture, an arm held straight out means a left turn and an arm bent upward means a right turn.
Turning right after a complete stop at a red light is normally allowed, but this sign cancels that permission. Here you have to wait for the green signal before making a turn.
Hand-and-arm signals are the accepted backup whenever the electric turn signals are out of order. Headlights and hazard flashers cannot show other drivers which way you intend to go.
Before a right turn, get close to the right edge of the road and make a tight turn instead of a wide, swinging one. Unless signs or lane markings direct otherwise, end the turn in the right lane of the street you are entering.
Reducing speed for a turn keeps the vehicle stable and easy to steer and gives you time to spot pedestrians and other traffic. Taking a turn at the same or a higher speed makes it much easier to lose control.
Hand signals are given with the left arm out the driver's window: held straight out for a left turn, bent upward for a right turn, and bent downward to slow down or stop. They are useful when your signal lights fail or may be hard for others to see.
On a road with one lane each way, start a left turn from the part of your lane closest to the center line; this lets traffic behind you get by on the right and keeps your turning path short.
A left turn from one one-way street into another is allowed only when the new street carries traffic toward your left, so you join the flow instead of driving against it. No sign is needed to permit the turn, as long as no sign forbids it.
A vehicle hidden behind the oncoming traffic could be moving fast in a lane you cannot see. Begin the left turn only after you can confirm that every lane you will cross is clear and the turn can be completed safely.
An arm held out of the driver's window and pointed down toward the pavement signals that the vehicle is about to slow down or stop. Drivers use this signal when their brake lights are out or to give following traffic an extra warning.
An arm extended out of the driver's window and bent upward at the elbow, with the hand raised, is the standard hand signal for a right turn. A left turn is shown with the arm held straight out, and slowing or stopping with the arm bent down.
In a residential area, a U-turn is permitted when no approaching vehicle is near enough to be a hazard, or when a sign or signal protects you from oncoming traffic. It is not allowed on a one-way street or across two sets of double yellow lines, which act as a barrier.
Left turns normally require a green light; where a left on red is allowed, it is allowed from a one-way street into another one-way street that carries traffic in the direction of your turn, never from just any street. Even then, you must stop completely first and yield to pedestrians and to any traffic with the right-of-way.
A bicyclist riding in the bicycle lane has the right-of-way, so check your mirrors and your blind spot and let any rider pass before you turn across the lane.
Signaling before every turn lets nearby drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians know where you are headed so they can react. As you approach a turn you should slow down, not speed up, and you steer only when you actually begin turning.
Turning on your signal 3 to 4 seconds ahead of the intersection warns the people around you early enough for them to react. Signal before every turn, even if no one seems to be behind you; waiting until you are two car lengths away is too late.
Every question in this set has its own page with the correct answer and an explanation.
