Steering and manoeuvring

The basics of good steering

For good steering control you should keep both hands on the wheel unless you’re changing gear or working another control with one hand. Put that hand back on the wheel, as soon as you can. This will help you keep good control of the vehicle.

Make sure you:

  • Do not rest your arm on the door because this restricts your movement
  • Grip the wheel firmly but not too tightly: you should be able to turn it easily when the vehicle is moving.

Manoeuvring

Before you start to manoeuvre your vehicle, you need to check it’s

  • safe – is there enough room; can you see where you’re going?
  • legal - are you allowed to carry out the manoeuvre here?
  • convenient – are you going to cause other road users to slow down or change direction?

The Official Highway Code

Check The Official Highway Code for more information about carrying out manoeuvres safely and legally.

Safety checks

When you manoeuvre your vehicle you should:

  • Make sure your vehicle is correctly positioned to manoeuvre safely
  • Use your mirrors and look behind you to check blind spots before you begin
  • Give a signal if it will help other road users understand what you’re doing
  • Keep looking ahead and around you for possible dangers, such as other road users or pedestrians
  • Pause if it isn’t safe and resume when it is.

Remember: Try not to turn the steering wheel while your vehicle is stationary. It will wear the tyres and could also damage the steering mechanism.

Remember: If you have reversing aids, such as camera systems or proximity sensors, you’ll still need to check all around before and during a manoeuvre. These aids can help you but they do not replace your normal checks.

Stopping, parking and reversing

Visit the How to Drive a Car section for more information about safe, stopping, parking and reversing.

Controlling your vehicle while manoeuvring

  • Avoid using the accelerator, brakes and steering suddenly or harshly
  • Keep a steady, slow speed
  • You must not reverse your car further than is necessary
  • When you're reversing, the steered wheels are effectively at the back of the vehicle. This makes the vehicle very manoueverable but also requires practice so that you can steer accurately.

The Official DVSA Guide to Driving - the essential skills

There are more essential tips on steering and manoeuvring in The Official DVSA Guide to Driving - the essential skills.

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