Choose an appropriate place to manoeuvre. If you need to turn your vehicle around, wait until you find a safe place. Try not to reverse or turn round in a busy road; find a quiet side road or drive round a block of side streets.
Advice, not law. This rule is not written in capitals, so breaking it is not an offence in itself — but it can still be used in evidence in court to establish liability. The rules that say MUST or MUST NOT are the ones backed by law.
5 theory test questions on this rule
From the DVSA revision question bank. These are not the questions asked in the real theory test. Each one shows the answer, the explanation, and our own note on why every other option is not it.
Car
- You're driving on a busy main road. What should you do if you find that you're driving in the wrong direction? Rules of the road
- You're parked in a busy high street. What's the safest way to turn your vehicle around so you can drive in the opposite direction? Rules of the road
- What should you do when you're using a contraflow system? Safety margins
- You're waiting to turn right at the end of a road. What should you do if your view is obstructed by parked vehicles? Alertness
- Why is it important to make full use of the slip road as you join a motorway? Motorway rules