How To Reverse Around A Corner

The advice given on this page has been written by fully qualified Driving Standards Agency Approved Driving Instructors (DSA ADIs) and is intended only for UK drivers and those taking the UK Practical Driving Test.

Please be aware that road traffic legislation and what is considered good driving practice varies throughout the world!

If the examiner asks you to do a reverse around a corner on your driving test, it will usually be a reverse into a side road on your left.

There is however, nothing to stop the examiner from asking you to reverse into a side road in your right - but in practice the right corner reverse is usually only carried out in vehicles that have limited rear visibility such as vans.

It is useful though to know how to do a right reverse because knowing how to reverse around a corner to the right could come in very handy if you ever found yourself needing to turn around in a situation where there is no side road to the left or where the road is too narrow to allow you to do a turn in the road etc.

On your driving test (assuming that the examiner wants a left reverse!), you will be asked to pull up at the side of the road just before you reach the road that the examiner wants you to reverse into. You'll then be asked something along the lines of;

"I would like you to reverse into the next road on the left. Drive past it and stop, then reverse for some distance up the new road keeping a position which is parallel and reasonably close to the kerb".

Let's start with a summarised list of what's required for reversing around a corner to the left. You may find it helpful to use this list as a memory jogger (aide memoire) - you could even copy it and print it out!

For those who prefer instructions given visually, there are some tutorial videos further down the page - some with an audio commentary for those who like to listen to what they need to do!

REVERSE AROUND A CORNER TO THE LEFT

1. After the examiner has told you what they want you to do, drive on past the road into which you will be reversing. Pull up a couple of car's lengths from the corner and about one drain's width (approx 2 feet) away from the kerb. As you go past the side road, quickly assess it so that you know what to expect - what type of corner/how sharp is the turn, are there any obstructions or children playing in the road etc. Handbrake on, gear lever into neutral & make sure your indicators are switched off.

2. Full observation all round. If clear, select reverse gear and start to reverse. No signals are needed.

3. Looking mainly over your left shoulder, through the rear windscreen, reverse slowly back to where the back wheels of the car are approximately in line with the point where the kerb starts to bend (this is known as the turning point).

4. The front of the car will swing out when you start your turn, so at this point you MUST take thorough observations by checking for traffic both ways and for pedestrians behind - don't forget to check your blind spot as well.

5. If clear, keep moving backwards slowly and turn the wheel between one half and three quarters of a turn (180 to 270 degrees). The amount of steering required will depends on how sharp the corner is

6. Reverse for approximately one car's length looking only out of the rear windscreen.

7. Glance in the left door mirror to check your position relative to the kerb - if you are getting significantly closer to the kerb, turn the wheel one quarter of a turn to the right. If you are getting significantly further away from the kerb, turn the wheel one quarter of a turn to the left. If your distance from the kerb appears to be largely unchanged, do not adjust the wheel. Keep checking all around as you complete the manoeuvre (including your blind spot), especially for anyone coming around the corner as you turn.

8. Keep looking well down the road through the middle of the rear window. This will help you judge whether the car is parallel with the kerb. When the position of the kerb reaches the middle of the rear windscreen, straighten the wheel and reverse for 2 to 3 car lengths from the junction before stopping. Handbrake on & gear lever into neutral and wait for further instructions from the examiner.

See below for instructions on how to reverse around a corner to the right

Poor co-ordination of controls
Stalling
Mounting the pavement or kerb
Turning the wheel the wrong way
Going wide after the corner
Finishing at a wide angle away from the kerb
Touching the kerb
Taking too long to complete the manoeuvre
No blind spot checks
No observation at or before the point of turn
Excessive use of the door mirrors
Not looking directly behind
Not reacting to passing or approaching vehicles
Not reacting to pedestrians
Waiting unnecessarily for other road users

*source - Retired driving examiner David Joberns

It's sometimes easier to actually see something done, rather than just read a set of instructions!

The following videos will give you visual instructions to help you learn how to do the reverse around a corner manoeuvre.

All the videos are presented in a different format - two are animated and two are "real-life" driving lessons presented by a fully qualified DSA Approved Driving Instructor.

The Official DSA Guide to Driving:
the essential skills

Driving Test Success ALL Tests 2008/09 Edition
(PC)

Driving Test Success ALL TESTS 2008/09 Interactive DVD