Three-point turn

"Turn in the road" redirects here. For the film, see The Turn in the Road.

For the programming technique, see Standard swap.

Not to be confused with 3 turn.

File:Three-point turn.svg

Performing a three-point turn (shown for right-hand traffic)

The three-point turn is the standard method of turning a vehicle around to face the opposite direction using forward and reverse gears in a limited space. This is typically done when the road is too narrow for a U-turn. Demonstrating this manoeuvre is commonly required in a driving test. The basic manoeuvre consists of driving across the road turning towards the offside kerb, reversing across the road to the original nearside kerb while turning, and driving forward towards the original offside kerb, now the nearside. In a narrow road or with a longer vehicle, more than three legs may be required to achieve a full 180 degree rotation.

"Three point turn" is the formal name in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and in many regions of the United States. While this term is common in the UK and Ireland, the official name there is "turning in the road (using forward and reverse gears)", because an acceptable turn may include more than three points. It is also known as the Y-turn, K-turn, and broken U-turn.