Can You Make a U-Turn When Turning Left?

[SanJaxson]

You can make a U-turn if the following three conditions are met. The conditions are as follows: Condition 1: There are no signs or markings prohibiting U-turns; Condition 2: There are no signs or markings prohibiting left turns; Condition 3: It must not hinder the passage of other vehicles and pedestrians. Precautions: Therefore, the precautions to note are: you cannot make a U-turn in a straight-only lane (straight-only lanes do not even allow left turns, let alone U-turns), you cannot make a U-turn on a pedestrian crossing (if U-turns are allowed, you must cross the pedestrian crossing before making the U-turn), and you cannot make a U-turn if the center line on the ground is solid (always remember: a solid line is like a wall—).

[DelWalter]

I was also confused about this when I first started driving. Actually, whether you can make a U-turn when turning left depends on the specific intersection: First, check if there’s a left-turn plus U-turn arrow painted on the ground—this means you can U-turn directly; second, see if there’s a yellow-bordered red sign saying ‘U-turn permitted’ at the intersection—if there is, you can U-turn; third, pay special attention to small blue signs on traffic light poles that say ‘U-turn allowed on red light’—in this case, ignore whether the left-turn light is red or not; most importantly, watch out for oncoming straight-moving vehicles! For example, the other day at a left-turn lane in the development zone, the car in front of me suddenly made a U-turn while waiting for the green light and almost hit a straight-moving motorcycle—in the end, they were fully at fault and had to pay 8,000 yuan in repairs. When in doubt, it’s safer to drive a few hundred meters further and find a dashed line to make a U-turn.

[Alexis]

A veteran driver who has traveled through more than ten cities shares key points: When the left-turn green light is on, first check if there is a gap in the median at the intersection—if there is, don't hesitate; when encountering double yellow lines, you can only make a U-turn if they are dashed—solid lines are strictly prohibited. Last time at an underpass in Jinan, the navigation instructed a U-turn, but I crossed a solid line, and a ticket arrived three days later. Also, note that many new intersections have two types of left-turn lanes—only the dedicated U-turn lane with zigzag lines allows U-turns; using a regular left-turn lane for a U-turn is a violation. Avoid risky U-turns during rain or at night when rearview mirrors can't clearly show electric bikes—it's best to detour via a gas station or parking lot.

[SanJordan]

During the driving test, the instructor repeatedly emphasized: U-turns have the lowest right of way! When the left turn signal is on, wait for all straight-going vehicles to pass before moving. Once, I was driving a GL8 in the left-turn lane when the taxi in front suddenly made a U-turn and scraped a Bentley in the opposite lane, and the insurance refused to cover it. Remember, U-turns are absolutely not allowed on pedestrian crossings, nor within five meters before a zebra crossing. At special intersections like Beijing's Sanlitun, the legal U-turn points are marked by yellow grid zones on the ground. School and hospital entrances usually have no-U-turn signs, and getting caught by traffic cameras will deduct 3 points directly. Try to avoid making U-turns on narrow roads at night; last week, a colleague's reversing radar failed and hit a tree.

[AnastasiaLee]

My daughter, who just got her driver's license, asked the same question. I told her a three-step judgment method: First, look up—if there's a no U-turn sign, just make a left turn honestly. Second, look down—you can only make a U-turn if the left-turn lane has fish-belly lines. Third, look at the light—you can make a U-turn at a circular red light (unless otherwise indicated), but you must stop at an arrow red light. Important reminder for new drivers: Make a wide turn when U-turning! Last week, I saw a new driver in a Mini scrape the guardrail while making a U-turn, with the wheel stuck in the drainage ditch. Be extra careful when making a U-turn on a two-way, two-lane road during rush hour—it's best to turn on your hazard lights to signal the cars behind you and wait for a five- or six-second gap before turning. Truck drivers, take note: When making a U-turn with a trailer, you'll need to occupy two lanes, so start signaling your turn 200 meters in advance.

[Ramirez]

Motorcycle perspective is quite different: Extra caution is needed when making U-turns with small-displacement bikes. First, confirm the lane width - never force a U-turn if it's narrower than three lanes. My experience riding a Kawasaki 400 taught me to always check blind spots by turning your head before turning, as mirrors often have dead angles. Note that some cities have dedicated left-turn lanes, where motorcycles can only make U-turns from the rightmost designated U-turn lane. I remember wearing my helmet that time on Hangzhou's Yan'an Road - got my crash bar knocked off by a red-light-running delivery bike from the right during a green-light U-turn, and the police ruled me at fault for not yielding to right-side traffic. Never attempt U-turns in rain or snow - poor tire grip makes slides likely. Owners with modified wide tires should be especially careful - if the turning radius is insufficient, it's better to get off and push a couple steps.