How To Turn Left And Right From Main Roads Onto Side Roads

When approaching any junction you need to carry out the MSPSL routine. This stands for Mirrors – Signal – Position – Speed – Look. You will need to learn this routine and be able to put it into practice. It is an essential element in being able to approach junctions safely and under control.

From a major road – MIRRORS. Check your centre and left mirrors if you are turning left and your centre and right mirrors if you are turning right. This will allow you to determine how close vehicles are behind and to the side of you and therefore enable you to time your signal correctly

SIGNAL. Give a left signal if you intend to turn left and a right signal if you intend to turn right. Make sure it is not given too early, as this may confuse other road users. Make sure it is not given too late, as it will not be of maximum benefit to other road users in letting them know which way you intend to turn.

POSITION. Maintain your normal driving position for a left turn. Any vehicle following may begin overtaking you after they see your left signal go on. Do not steer to the right when approaching your left turn, as you could loop into the path of a vehicle passing you. If you intend to turn to right move towards the centre line and maintain a position just left of the centre line. Your position reinforces your signal and helps let other road users know which way you intend to turn

SPEED. Start using your footbrake early and progressively. For a left turn you should be slowing down to a speed suitable to be able turn left under control. That speed will generally be about 6 or 7mph. You should be at this speed at least a couple of car lengths away from the corner. Then select 2nd gear, which is the gear needed for that speed. Remember to take your foot completely off the clutch pedal in a smooth manner. This will allow the engine to drive the car around the corner. All of this should be done at least 1 car-length from the corner.

For a right turn the same form of progressive braking applies. You should be slowing down to the same suitable speed, selecting 2nd gear (providing there is no oncoming traffic and it is safe to turn) and bringing your foot off the clutch pedal. All of this should be completed about 1 car-length from the corner of the road you are turning into. You should then turn when the front bumper of your car is level with the centre line of the road you are turning into. If you turn before this point you risk cutting the right corner of the road and could have an accident. If you turn after this point you could ‘loop’ towards the footpath on the far side.

On approaching a right turn you may have to stop and give way to oncoming traffic. All oncoming traffic has priority. You should not turn right in front of oncoming traffic if it would cause them to slow down or change direction. If you have to wait for a suitable gap, you should ensure your car is positioned straight, just left of the centre line with the front bumper just before the centre line of the road you are going to turn into.

LOOK. You have priority when turning left from a main road into a side road over oncoming traffic. However you should check thoroughly to make sure no other vehicle is going to pull in front of you. You should also check for other hazards, which may make you slow down further or even stop, such as pedestrians stepping out in front of you or cars parked near the junction. When turning right you should also look for all of these things. You must also check for oncoming traffic. When deciding whether there is a big enough gap to turn right safely in front of oncoming traffic, you will need to use your judgment. Ask yourself this question when deciding: If I were a pedestrian standing in the centre of the road waiting to cross to the footpath, would I step out in front of the oncoming traffic and cross? If the answer is ‘YES’ then you would normally have time to turn right. If the answer is ‘NO’ then you would not normally have time to turn right

To Recap

1. M – MIRRORS: Check your centre and left mirrors to turn left, or centre and right mirrors to turn right.

2. S – SIGNAL: Signal left if you are going to turn left. Signal right if you are going to turn right.

3. P – POSITION: Stay in your normal driving position for turning left. Move to just left of the centre line for turning right.

4. S – SPEED: Apply progressive braking in good time. In general, select 2nd gear for a left turn and bring your clutch up to avoid coasting. For a right turn, also select 2nd gear if there is no oncoming traffic and no reason to stop. All of this should be completed about ‘1-car length’ from the junction. If you have to stop before turning either a left or right, select 1st gear ‘just’ before you stop.

5. L – LOOK: Make sure you look in all directions before you start turning and throughout the turn to be sure it is safe to turn.

How To Turn Left And Right Emerging From Side Roads Onto Main Roads

When approaching a ‘T’ Junction and emerging onto a main road, you carry out the same MSPSL routine as for turning from a main road into a side road.

Approaching a ‘T’ Junction:

MIRRORS. Check your centre and left mirrors if you are turning left and your centre and right mirrors if you are turning right. This will allow you to determine how close vehicles are behind and to the side of you and therefore enable you to time your signal correctly

SIGNAL. Give a left signal if you intend to turn left and a right signal if you intend to turn right – make sure it is not given too early as this may confuse other road users. Make sure it is not given too late, as it will not be of maximum benefit to other road users in letting them know which way you intend to turn.

POSITION. Maintain your normal driving position for a left turn. Any vehicle following may begin overtaking you after they see your left signal go on. Do not steer to the right when approaching your left turn as you could loop into the path of a vehicle passing you. If you intend to turn right, move towards the centre line and maintain a position just left of the centre line. Your position reinforces your signal and helps let other road users know which way you intend to turn

SPEED. Start using your footbrake early and progressively for both a left turn and right turn. You need to slow down to a suitable speed to be able to emerge safely. You will also need to select the correct gear to emerge in. This will generally be 1st or 2nd gear, depending on whether the junction has an OPEN or CLOSED view.

LOOK. You will need to start looking and assessing on the approach to a ‘T’ junction whether your view of the main road is OPEN or CLOSED.

CLOSED JUNCTION. If your view both to the left and the right is blocked by fences, walls, trees houses or similar objects, your view is closed. This will mean you should be slowing down to a 1st gear speed. Ensure you maintain the correct position and select 1st gear ‘just’ before the give way lines or equivalent road marking. You should then emerge in 1st gear if it is safe to do so.

OPEN JUNCTION. If you can clearly see along the main road to both the left and the right about 1 car length away from the give way lines or equivalent road markings, you should slow down to a 2nd gear speed. Select 2nd gear and emerge into the main road, providing it is safe to do so. Open junctions are very rare so it is unusual to be able to emerge from a side road in 2nd gear.

Whether emerging left or right from a side road into a main road, your minimum observations will be to the right, then the left, then back to the right. Ensure before you move off from the junction that you look in the direction you are going and steer into the correct position.

You should only emerge into a main road providing you do not cause another vehicle to slow down or change direction to avoid you. When deciding whether there is a big enough gap you will need to use your judgment. Ask yourself this question when deciding: If I were a pedestrian standing on the corner of the road I am emerging from, would I step out in front of the traffic on the main road and cross? If the answer is ‘YES’ then you would normally have time to turn left or right. If the answer is ‘NO’ then you would not normally have time to turn left or right.

To Recap

1. M – MIRRORS: Check your centre and left mirrors to turn left or centre and right mirrors to turn right.

2. S - SIGNAL: Signal left if you are going to turn left. Signal right if you are going to turn right.

3. P – POSITION: Stay in your normal driving position for turning left. Move to just left of the centre line for turning right.

4. S – SPEED: Apply progressive braking in good time. You should arrive at the give way lines at the speed you intend to emerge at. If the T Junction is a closed junction, as most are, you would normally slow down to a 1st gear speed and select 1st gear ‘just’ before the give way lines. If the T junction is an open junction and it is safe to emerge, you would normally slow down to a 2nd gear speed and select 2nd gear just before the give way lines.

5. L – LOOK: Make sure you look in all directions before emerging. Your minimum observations are right-left-right.

How To Turn Left, Right And Go Straight Ahead At A Roundabout

Use the MSPSL routine when approaching a roundabout. Most roundabouts have 3 exits; left, straight ahead and right. Some roundabouts may have road markings. These will indicate what lane you are required to approach in for the exit you wish to take. Below illustrates how you should approach roundabouts without road markings. Be guided by your driving instructor on how to approach and deal with roundabouts with more than 3 exits, roundabouts with specific lane markings and mini-roundabouts. When approaching a roundabout use any road signs and road markings to ensure you get into the correct lane in good time.

Approaching a roundabout

MIRRORS. Check your centre and left mirrors if you are turning left and your centre and right mirrors if you are turning right. If you are going straight ahead check your centre and right mirrors. This will allow you to determine how close vehicles are behind and to the side of you and therefore enable to time your signal correctly (if one is required) and apply your braking in good time.

SIGNAL. ON THE APPROACH, give a left signal if you intend to turn left and a right signal if you intend to turn right – make sure it is not given too early as this may confuse other road users. Make sure it is not given too late, as other road users need to know in good time where you intend to turn. If you are going straight ahead a signal is not required on the approach.

EXIT SIGNAL. When on the roundabout, you will need to give a signal to let other road users, either on the roundabout or waiting to join the roundabout, know what exit you intend to leave at. If you are going straight ahead, give a left signal when you are level with or have ‘just’ passed the 1st exit. If you are turning right, give a left signal when you are level with or have ‘just’ passed the 2nd exit.

POSITION. ON THE APPROACH, maintain your normal driving position for a left turn. This will reinforce your left signal and confirm to other road users you intend to turn left. If you intend to go straight ahead, maintain your normal driving position. If you intend to turn to right move towards the centre line and maintain a position just left of the centre line. Your position reinforces your signal and helps let other road users know where you intend to turn

ON THE ROUNDABOUT. When going straight ahead, keep in the left lane if the roundabout has two lanes. If it is a normal size roundabout with only one lane on the approach, then take a central position on the roundabout.

If you are turning right, keep in the right lane or in the inside of the roundabout. Check there are no vehicles passing you on the left, give your exit signal and then start moving to the left of the roundabout and take your exit.

SPEED. Start using your footbrake early and progressively when approaching a roundabout. You need to slow down to a suitable speed to be able to join the roundabout safely. You will also need to select the correct gear to emerge in. This will generally be 1st gear if you have to stop and give way to traffic on the roundabout or 2nd gear if you can join the roundabout safely without stopping. Occasionally you may approach a roundabout and it is clear you do not have to slow down too much, for example bigger roundabouts or going straight ahead at mini roundabouts where no steering is involved. In cases such as these, select either 3rd or 4th gear depending on the speed you join the roundabout at. You should select your gear ‘just’ before you join the roundabout.

LOOK. You will need to start looking and assessing in good time on the approach to a roundabout. You will need to decide whether it is safe to join the roundabout. You need to give way to traffic on the roundabout to your immediate right. You should not join a roundabout if you are going to force another vehicle to slow down or change direction. You should also briefly check all other exits when you are on the roundabout, just in case another vehicle joins it and forces you to slow down. Give a quick sideways glance before moving lanes on a roundabout to be sure it is safe to move in that direction.

Footnote – Roundabouts are designed to allow traffic to merge from different roads without necessarily having to stop. There can be a lot of other hazards to deal with such as pedestrians crossing the road, unusual road layouts and markings, cyclists and motorcyclists who are difficult to see and pedestrian crossings. You should be guided by your driving instructor on how to deal with these situations. With good tuition and experience you will be able to cope with these hazards competently.

To Recap

1. M MIRRORS: Check your centre and left mirrors if you intend to turn left, centre and right mirrors if you intend to turn right, and centre and right mirrors if you intend to go straight ahead

2. S SIGNAL: Approaching the roundabout, signal left if you are going to turn left and right if you are going to turn right. No signal is required when going straight ahead. On the roundabout, you will need to time your exit signal correctly.

3. P POSITION: Stay in your normal driving position for turning left and going straight ahead. Move to just left of the centre line for turning right. On the roundabout keep to the left if you are going straight ahead, keep to the right if you are turning right.

4. S SPEED: Apply progressive braking in good time. You should arrive at the roundabout at the speed you intend to emerge at.

5. L LOOK: Make sure you look in all directions before you emerge, paying particular attention to vehicles on your immediate right.