When is it legal to make a U-turn in SA?

Posted 3 June, 2019 Jeremy Rochow

Have you ever done a U-turn at the traffic lights, or decided to ignore that no U-turn sign and do it anyway?   If you have, you might want to brush up on your U-turn rules – it can be costly if you don’t. We’ve listed seven U-turn dos and don’ts that will help you next time you need to change direction.  

1. Making a U-turn at traffic lights

You’ve just missed the street you were planning on turning down, and now you’re sitting at the traffic lights looking for a place to do a U-turn.

Don’t be tempted to pull a quick uey at the lights in the right lane – it could be costly.

  It’s illegal in SA to perform a U-turn at an intersection with traffic lights, unless there’s a sign saying it’s permitted. If you’re caught, you risk being fined $404, plus a $94 Victims of Crime Levy and two demerit points. It’s best to wait until you’re further down the road where there’s a safe location to turn around.    

2. Location, location, location

Finding the correct spot to make a U-turn is vital to ensure you don’t endanger other road users and pedestrians. It’s not often that you can pull a U-turn as soon as you realise you need to turn around, so here are a few things you should consider when seeking the safest spot to do so. The most appropriate location is the one that least disrupts the flow of traffic, both following and oncoming, so find a right-turn lane opposite a quiet street if possible.   You’ll also want to make sure the place you choose to do a U-turn gives you a clear view of oncoming traffic to ensure you can turn around safely. When you do find a safe place, you must do it from the marked lane nearest, or as near as practicable to the road’s dividing line or median strip, or closest as practicable to the centre of the road.  

3. Know your vehicle

Make sure the road is wide enough to allow you to turn around in one go. You don’t want to be caught having to reverse and have another go in traffic. On very busy roads the safest and least stressful option may be to turn into a side street and do a three-point turn away from the intersection then turn left back onto the road.