Ohio U-Turn Laws Explained
Vehicle code: U-Turns are primarily regulated by Section 4511.37 of Ohio Revised Statutes. It is important to note that this statute comes with certain general traffic laws that additional effect. For example, when making a U-turn on a one-way street, Ohio traffic law dictates you must be in the extreme left or right lane and signal until your U-turn or maneuver has been completed. These regulations are detailed below:
Section 4511.37 – U-Turns
(A) Except when a special hazard exists that requires further exercise of caution, no person shall turn a vehicle, including a streetcar, so as to proceed in the opposite direction unless the person first yields to any vehicular or pedestrian traffic that constitutes a hazard.
(B) No person shall turn a vehicle, including a streetcar, so as to proceed in the opposite direction at any of the following places:
- (1) An intersection, except at a junction of streets on a one-way street with another one-way street where a sign is not in place prohibiting such movement;
- (2) A railroad grade crossing;
- (3) At any place where and at a time when official signs are in place prohibiting a turn to be made in that direction;
- (4) In a using area where an official sign prohibiting a turn in that direction is posted;
- (5) On a highway between curbs , except at intersections or designated openings in a barrier separating opposing traffic.
(C) No person driving a vehicle, including a streetcar, shall make a U-turn in a place where official signs are posted prohibiting such turns.
(D) No person shall make a U-turn at an intersection of two highways in this state without first notifying any drivers that are in the vicinity of the intention to turn by signaling in the manner provided by section 4511.41 of the Revised Code.
(E) No person shall drive a motor vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction to the right of the roadway following a right turn on a street designated to terminate at the end of the intersection in a circular or semicircular traffic circle, rotating island, roundabout, or oval island unless the area is separated from the roadway by a curbed, bordered, or other physical barrier separating the area from the roadway.
(F) No person shall drive a motor vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction to the right of the roadway following a right turn on a street designated as one-way traffic unless otherwise directed by a traffic control device.
Permitted Locations for U-Turns
In Ohio, understanding where U-turns are allowed can prevent serious accidents. U-turns are often used to make a 180° turn in the road to head in the opposite direction. You may have the right to do a U-turn in several situations. While we’ve covered where you are not allowed to take a U-turn, this section will dive into where they are permitted.
1. On highways. A U-turn on the highway is permitted when you are:
• on a divided section of a highway and it is safe to do so
• in an emergency
• under the instruction of law enforcement
As long as you pull this off safely, which is rarely the case, U-turns on the highway will not be a problem.
2. In urban areas. In the state of Ohio, U-turns are allowed in urban areas when there is a proper opportunity to make a left turn and there is no "No U-turn" sign posted in the area. This is where things can get tricky, as many people incorrectly believe that a "No U-turn" sign means that you need to yield to any traffic in order to make your U-turn.
3. On rural roads. U-turns are not allowed on rural roads in the state of Ohio, as these roads are considered "highway" roads. You cannot legally complete a U-turn on these roads.
Locations Where U-Turns Are Not Allowed
Generally, U-Turns are not permitted in the following areas:
Intersections
U-turns are not permitted at any of the following locations:
Near Schools and Businesses
No person shall make a U-turn at any intersection or upon any high street where slow-moving vehicles are permitted at any time, if the street is designated as or marked with a sign prohibiting such turns.
Those areas include streets or highways with business districts, schools, and where parking is prohibited or restricted.
U-Turn Penalties
In the vast majority of cases, making an illegal U-turn is merely a minor traffic infraction that carries a relatively minimal fine. However, doing so increases the risk of significant penalties if your U-turn results in an accident or another form of civil or criminal liability.
The penalties for making an illegal U-turn include a fine of $130 and two points on your driver’s license. In addition to the two points you will incur for your illegal U-turn, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) maintains a point system which can lead to additional penalties for drivers who exceed certain thresholds.
If you possess six points or more, the BMV requires you to participate in a remedial driving course. After completing the course, the BMV reduces the number of points on your license by two. If you have a total of 12 points or more on your license, your driver’s license will be suspended for a period of time corresponding to the number of years you have had your license. If this is your first traffic offense of any kind, you have the option of paying the fines for any traffic ticket online.
If your illegal U-turn causes an accident, you could be liable for damages to the other driver’s property or for any injuries sustained by persons in either vehicle involved in the accident. You could also be charged with road rage, which both increases your potential liability and carries criminal charges.
Tips for Making Safe U-Turns
When executing a U-turn in Ohio, or anywhere for that matter, safety should always be your top priority. The best way to ensure that you are driving safely and defensively at the wheel is to always assume that the other drivers on the roadway are not paying attention and, when the time comes for you to make a U-turn, you should adjust your speed accordingly. As a defensive driver, you should always be prepared to stop at any time. Turn your head to check for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, keeping a close eye on them as much as possible. This includes keeping an eye on them as they pass your vehicle. For example, at a four-way intersection, you should look out for a bicycle or motorcycle approaching the intersection from your right, and you should keep your eye there until the vehicle has passed your turned-off view.
Avoid making a U-turn on roads with multiple lanes going in the same direction. Even though it may seem more congested, and therefore safer, to execute a U-turn in the middle of the road rather than at an intersection, that actually isn’t the case. Multiple-lane roads require drivers to be more focused on other vehicles, leaving less room for focus on a cyclist or pedestrian in your blind spot. Texting while driving exacerbates this problem. You should also avoid making a U-turn in the following conditions:
If you see another vehicle approaching in your rear-view mirror while you are stopped to make a U-turn , engage them by making eye contact with them, if you have the time, to ascertain whether or not they are going to yield to you. If they are not preoccupied with their phones, and they see that you are trying to make a U-turn, they should yield to you, as Ohio law requires them to do so.
Even after making the decision to yield for another driver, however, the law does not require them to provide you with a reasonable amount of time to commit to your U-turn, so if they believe that you need more time, they are under no obligation to wait for you. Ohio law considers U-turns to be "yield" turns, requiring drivers to allow a reasonable amount of time for oncoming traffic to clear. However, the law does not specify how much time is reasonable. Therefore, after you signal and look for traffic, once you are clear, go! Do not let yourself get caught up in a staring contest with an oncoming driver over who is going to yield to whom. If no one is coming, don’t hesitate; make your turn and be done with it, and hopefully everyone behind you will follow suit.
Following these guidelines will help you to be as safe as possible when executing a U-turn in Ohio.
Recent Changes to U-Turn Laws
While U-turns have been a common practice for decades, there have been some recent developments regarding U-turn laws in Ohio. For instance, Senate Bill 197 was signed into law in November 2018, which made it illegal for drivers to make a U-turn across multiple lanes of traffic if it impedes other traffic, like on a divided roadway. This amendment to Ohio law was intended to increase the safety of Ohio roads, and clarify what sorts of U-turns are legal and illegal.
The bill was sponsored by Senator Steve Huffman and will be enforced by local law enforcement across the state. While most motorists know that making U-turns poses a serious threat to motor vehicle safety, many drivers do not understand when such maneuvers become illegal.
As Ohio motor vehicle accident attorneys, we frequently see the aftermath of crashes caused by U-turns where one or both drivers failed to yield to oncoming traffic. Drivers can incur injury and damage to their vehicles, or even face traffic tickets and increased insurance premiums. However, the consequences can be much more severe for innocent motorists, who may be killed when a U-turn causes a head-on crash.
Understanding Ohio U-turn laws is important to preventing accidents, injury and death.
Common U-Turn Questions in Ohio
Can you make a U-turn at a stop sign?
No, unless the stop sign has an uninterrupted view of oncoming traffic. A U-turn is defined as when a driver proceeds in one way and makes a change in direction of 180 degrees to go back in the opposite direction. If a stop sign is obstructing the view of oncoming traffic, you could be considered responsible for any accidents that result from turning when you could not see oncoming vehicles.
If I can’t see the Clear Path signs , how far away is it considered too far?
Legally, it is thought that if you do not have a clear line of sight to the Clear Path sign, it would be considered unsafe to perform a U-turn.
In what situations is a U-turn not allowed?
U-turns are not allowed where other vehicles are not required to stop (such as on a multilane highway), within the right-of-way of intersections on state routes or city streets, or where posted signs indicate no U-turns.