Making a u-turn on the highway is tempting, but is it legal? Find out whether or not you can do this safely.
Raise your hand if you’ve been behind the wheel of a vehicle and encountered any of these situations in which making a U-turn would simplify your life:
- You miss your exit on the freeway;
- You’re driving on a secondary highway with no median, and you overshoot your destination;
- You’re searching for an address on a residential street, and you go too far;
- Your GPS app tells you to go back the way you came.
A U-turn is a dicey maneuver in the best of circumstances, as Kansas City car accident attorney James Roswold points out: “I’ve had my fair share of cases in which the wrong type of U-turn becomes the ultimate cause of an accident.”
Even though it’s potentially dangerous, however, a U-turn isn’t necessarily illegal. Here, we’ll explain when you can do it and when you’re better off figuring out a safer way to reverse your direction on the roadway.
When Are U-Turns Commonly Allowed?
It’s generally legal to make a U-turn as long as it’s safe to do so and there are no signs prohibiting it, says Prateek Agarwal, who co-founded an online traffic school in California. However, he also clarified: “You must follow other traffic rules while completing a U-turn. So, you can’t U-turn in an intersection when the light is red, or on one-way streets. You should also only U-turn from the left-most lane.”
There’s another important consideration, says insurance expert Melanie Musson, and that’s the effect your maneuver has on other drivers.
“U-turns are not allowed when they will cause traffic problems. When you’re doing a U-turn, you have to yield to all other drivers,” says Musson. “You do not have the right-of-way. So, it’s essential to wait until the road is clear before making a U-turn.”
“You must have clear visibility for 200 feet in front and behind your vehicle,” adds Roswold. “That makes a U-turn illegal if you’re too close to a curve in the road or a hill.
Besides this, there are regulations specific to certain states. According to attorney Joshua Branch, Oregon has a law unique to that state: all U-turns are illegal unless there are signs specifically allowing them. In California, says Agarwal, you can’t make a U-turn in front of a fire station or on a railroad crossing. So if you’re traveling, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the laws in effect in the states you visit.
Are U-Turns Ever Allowed On a Highway?
Obviously, you can’t make a U-turn on an interstate freeway with a median divider. You might be tempted to use a U-turn lane that cuts across the median, but that’s illegal— these lanes are reserved for law enforcement and emergency vehicles.
A U-turn is also illegal on a secondary highway divided by a solid yellow line, because you’re never allowed to cross a solid line. If you’re on a section of the highway in which the line is broken to permit passing, you still can’t make a U-turn. You can only make a U-turn if there is an opening in the center divider that isn’t reserved for emergency vehicles, you have an unobstructed view for at least 200 feet in both directions (in some states, it’s 400 feet), and you don’t see a sign prohibiting U-turns.
Penalties for Illegal U-Turns
An accident is the ultimate penalty for an illegal U-turn, but assuming you’re lucky and don’t cause one, you’ll get a ticket, and fines vary widely from state to state. In California, where I live, the average fine is around $234, which is higher than in some jurisdictions and lower than in others. Meanwhile, the fine in Tennessee is $103.75, and in Washington state it’s around $100. In Seattle, your ticket could cost you as much as $1,200, depending on the circumstances. You’ll also lose points on your driving record. Some states allow you to attend traffic school to avoid losing points.
What Should Drivers Do Instead?
If you can’t make a legal U-turn, you should continue driving forward until you reach a place where you can. On the interstate, that means driving to the next exit. On a secondary highway, you might come to an intersection with a sign that indicates that U-turns are allowed. Failing that, you can always turn right at the next intersection, pull into a parking lot to turn around and re-enter the highway by turning left.
“Never try to squeeze in a fast or dangerous U-turn in order to save a couple of seconds,” warns Roswold. “It is better to take the longer route to prevent a potentially fatal accident or traffic offense. ”
FAQ
Can commercial or large vehicles make U-turns?
Because of their size, it takes a long time for commercial or large vehicles to complete a left turn, let alone a U-turn. In most cases, it would disrupt traffic, and most commercial drivers wouldn’t attempt it. If there’s no alternative, the turn should be completed in a controlled way, which means having a spotter guide the driver and watch for traffic, stopping it if necessary until the turn is completed.
How can I know the rules in my state?
Walk into a DMV or AAA office in your state and ask for a driver’s handbook. You can usually also find information related to driving rules online on the DMV website.
About the Experts
- James Roswold is an advocate for accident victims across Missouri and Kansas with 30 years of legal experience. He is the founder of Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys.
- Joshua W. Branch focuses on personal injury trial work. He has been representing clients in the Athens and Atlanta area for more than 20 years. He is the managing partner at the Law Offices of Joshua W. Branch LLC.
- Melanie Musson, a published insurance and finance expert, is an insurance and finance expert at Clearsurance.com.
- Prateek Agarwal is one of the founders of Best Online Traffic School. He has been a passionate advocate for road safety since 2018.
Source
- FindLaw: Illegal U-Turn State Laws; (2023)
