To make a “U” turn on a main road is extremely dangerous. It also contravenes Section 119 (2) of the Road Transport Act 1987. For this, you can be fined RM300.

Some readers of this Driving School Malaysia blog have asked “how does one make a 3 Point turn in an automatic car?” At certain times, we reached a dead end. We have no other alternative but to do a 3 point turn maneuver.

In Malaysia , as in Singapore and Australia, we drive on the left hand side of the road. As such, in attempting to make a “3 Point Turn”, slow the car down, careening it down the left side of the road, signal right, observing the rear as well as the right hand side mirror. turn the steering completely to the right.

Stop the car at the edge of the road. In actual fact, you are performing a left to right 3 Point Turn.

Assuming you are on a rather busy road. Cars and other vehicles would be coming behind you any moment. Therefore you have to be “Fast”, taking the least possible time you can in performing the 3 Point Turn.

Having stopped at the right hand side of the road, engage the “auto” gear in R or Reverse quickly. Stepping or “applying” the brakes, turn your steering completely to the left as fast as you can, reverse the car backwards to the edge of the road, step on the brakes and then turn your steering to the right completely, engage the car in D or “drive” and move the car forward.

At the same time, if you are fast enough, put your indicator to the right. This would indicate to motorists behind you that you’re coming into the main thoroughfare, that is to the Right.

If you should reach a dead end, and you have no space to do the 3 point turn maneuver, then you have no alternative but to do the reverse. Then place the car in R or Reverse and inch your car backwards slowly.

3 Point Turn (Pusing Tiga Penjuru) Practical Test

Among the 3 aspects you have to do in Part II of the Practical Test (Slope, Side Parking and the 3 Point Turn), the 3 Point Turn maneuver seems to be the easiest to perform.

But do not be surprised. Sometimes what is deemed to be the easiest, may cause many a candidate to fail. There has been cases where a candidate of mine has had to do this part of the test 3 times before she could finally get through it and eventually got her D License. Surprised, but you had better believe it.

As a matter of fact, some testers or examiners have been found to be a little bit on the strict side when it comes to this particular aspect of the test.

As such, it is hoped that you would take more pains when learning this unusual maneuver. For the 3 Point Turn aspect of the Part II Practical Test, a candidate is given 3 minutes to perform it. Unless you are slightly older and your movement a little bit slower, the time given is more than enough.

What then causes a candidate to fail? Actually, there are a few things you have to be extremely careful about. The 3 Point Turn has to be a “continuous movement” from the left until the right where you stop approximately a feet from the row of sticks in front of you.

You are allowed to stop only once. Inching your way forward another step will cause you to Fail.

Like wise, having reversed and stopped and if you feel you can still go back a bit further, you will Fail.

When you do this, you would have deemed to have made more than 3 movements that’s allowed for you to perform this aspect of the test.

Besides stopping, if the car should “stall” (its engine dies off) you will be considered as having failed as well.

In all, a candidate is given 3 minutes to complete this part of the test.

Besides ensuring you do not hit any of the sticks while entering the somewhat large quadrangle area (approximately 20′ x 30′), neither should you hit or “touch” any of the row of sticks in front.

My advise is when you have stopped one feet from the front sticks, do step your brakes to ensure the car does not move at all. Before you reverse backwards, ensure you turn the steering all to the left and likewise when you turn to the right, you have to ensure the steering is turned maximum to the right before moving forward to go out.

There have been cases where students have been failed for not doing as advised above.

Another thing you have to remember, at no time should a candidate stop in the quadrangular area to give way to other vehicle outside the 3 Point Turn area.

Should you find another vehicle outside the quadrangular area blocking your path, you should make it a point to stay put, do not move for moving and then stopping to avoid hitting another vehicle (albeit to prevent an accident happening) will only cause you to Fail in the process.

All in all, the 3 Point Turn maneuver is a simple thing to perform, yet many have found it to have given them much headache and problems in their quest to attain the C.D.L. (D) Class License.

As a driving instructor of many years experience, nevertheless, it is impossible for me to remember everything to tell you in this article.

So you have to resort to securing a little bit of assistance from your own instructor as well. Hopefully with his help and mine too, you will overcome this 3 Point Turn episode.