Which Lane to Use for a U-Turn?

[LeGavin]

For a U-turn, you should use the leftmost lane. Turning is divided into two situations: left turns should use the leftmost lane, and right turns should use the rightmost lane. Circumstances where U-turns are permitted are as follows: When there is a U-turn signal or sign: If there is a U-turn signal at an intersection, you can make a U-turn when the U-turn indicator is green. If there is a U-turn sign at the intersection or a U-turn indicator on the lane, you can make a U-turn while ensuring your own and others' safety. No U-turn sign but left turns are allowed (no prohibition of U-turn signs are set): Vehicles can make a U-turn at intersections where left turns are permitted and no prohibition of U-turn signs or markings are present. It is important to note that vehicles should proceed according to the left-turn lane signal without affecting the normal driving of other vehicles. If you need to make a U-turn at an intersection with a left-turn waiting area, you can first enter the left-turn waiting area when the straight signal is green and wait until the left-turn signal turns green to make the U-turn. U-turns are allowed at dashed lines: U-turns are permitted at both white and yellow dashed lines. If it is a double yellow line with one solid and one dashed, check whether your side is the dashed line. If it is, you can make a U-turn while ensuring safety; if it is a solid line, U-turns are not allowed. If you encounter a double yellow line with one solid and one dashed at an intersection, you can make a U-turn on the dashed side, but you must not cross the stop line ahead. U-turns are allowed at yellow grid lines: Parking is prohibited in yellow grid line areas, but as long as there is no central barrier, you can make a U-turn here after yielding to normally moving vehicles. U-turns are allowed on the dashed side of a green belt: When the front of the green belt is a dashed line, vehicles on that side can make a U-turn from there. When the front of the green belt is a solid line, vehicles must follow the traffic signal and cross the zebra crossing before making a U-turn. Driving over solid lines or zebra crossings to make a U-turn is prohibited.

[Juan]

Last time when making a U-turn at the roundabout, I only realized after being flashed by the car behind me that the leftmost lane has priority for U-turns. You can proceed if there's a left-turn arrow combined with a U-turn arrow on the ground, but never force a turn over solid lines. On narrow roads with dual lanes, you must first change to the left lane before making a U-turn; temporarily borrowing the right lane can easily be judged as a violation. If there are double yellow lines at the intersection, pay attention to the solid and dashed sides—the solid side must be bypassed to the dashed side before turning. New drivers, remember this: turn on your indicator 200 meters before the U-turn, and before fully turning the steering wheel, take a quick look at the left rearview mirror, especially watching out for suddenly appearing delivery e-bikes.

[SanOlive]

When I first got my license, I also got confused and lost points for choosing the wrong lane for U-turns. Traffic rules clearly state to prioritize the leftmost lane, with some large intersections having dedicated U-turn lanes. Key things to watch for: lanes marked with U-turn signs, U-turns allowed on red left-turn lights (yielding to straight traffic unless prohibited), and the dashed side at solid-dashed line junctions. The safest bet is to follow navigation prompts, but you should also understand the tricks. For instance, some U-turn openings are hidden behind greenery – if you don’t change lanes early, it’s impossible to make it in time. Such designs are truly user-unfriendly.

[SanJade]

Five years of ride-hailing experience: Always choose the leftmost lane for U-turns on city roads. At special intersections with U-turn signals, follow the signal strictly. When there's no signal, waiting for the left-turn green light is the safest. However, be aware that some left-turn lanes prohibit U-turns—check the ground arrows or overhead signs. On narrow roads, if you can't complete the U-turn in one go, it's better to make an extra turn than to scrape the curb. During a U-turn, ensure your vehicle completely crosses the pedestrian crossing, and don't panic if the car behind honks—especially during evening rush hours in business districts where minor collisions are common.