Reversing Key Points

Reversing around a corner can be easy if you know how. This is an easy reference to carry with you so that you can remind yourself what you need to do. Written by an experienced driving instructor it gives you the key reference and observation points you need to be aware of for the UK driving test. This is for a left hand corner - trials of the new driving test may include a right-hand reverse

General points:
Which way to steer: Some people know instinctively how to steer in reverse. If you struggle with reversing I hope that the following helps:

When you are going forwards you are thinking about the front of the car. When you are going backwards you should be thinking about the back of the car. Then for any reversing manoeuvre just turn the top of the steering wheel to the side that you want to go to. If you want to move the back of the car towards the kerb, steer towards the kerb.

Another way of thinking about is - if you are using the left mirror to see where you want to go, then your initial turn will be towards the left mirror.

Reverse left - Look left - Steer left.

Observation: Again for all manoeuvres when reversing look over your left shoulder out of the back window for at least half of the time, preferably more. At numerous times also STOP and look forwards, over your right shoulder and all around as well. Always try to avoid being in the process of reversing to the left, and looking to the right. If someone walks across behind, you might run them over. And they won't like that!

Look over your right shoulder when stationary, your left shoulder when moving !

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Dealing with others: When you are manoeuvring everybody else has right of way, including pedestrians. So basically, wait for everybody. It doesn't matter how long you wait as long as it's for a reason.

If another car approaches, while you are doing the manoeuvre, try to STOP before the other driver is close enough to have to react to you. After you've stopped, if they then go past - continue with your manoeuvre. If they stop, or slow right down, and want to wait, let them. However if a car comes up behind you from the side road, Wait. And then if they don't go past, or turn off, you will need to pull forwards and start again.

How to do it:

1. Pull up past the turning so that you can see it behind you. Check all around, beginning the observation from your right shoulder blindspot, and finishing over your left shoulder out of the back window.

2. Reverse until you have lined up the back of the car with the end of the wall, or garden fence. Or something that is about level to the point that the kerb begins to curve around the corner. This is your turn point. Stop.

3. Look all around before you turn, right to left shoulder. This is the most important observation point as the front of your car will swing out towards the middle of the road as soon as you begin to move.

4. As you reverse turn quickly on to full lock left. Look in the top-left-hand mirror as you go around the corner to determine your distance from the kerb

5. Stop halfway around to observe up and down the major road - check over your left shoulder again before continuing.

6. Stop when you are parallel to the kerb of the side road. This point is best judged by lining up the centre point of the rear screen using the interior mirror. You should be lined up with the middle of a parked car behind you in the side road.

7. Straighten the wheels, you can do this whilst stationary if necessary. Count the number of turns as you straighten (one-and-a-half turns approx back to centre from full-lock).

8. Then to keep the car straight, KEEP the centre point of the rear screen lined-up with a parked car behind, or centre of your side of the road if necessary