Turning and U turns — Washington Permit Test
Turning and U turns on the Washington permit test — 5 rules, each with the reason behind it and a question on it while it is fresh.
The rules
State law requires a driver to turn into the lane closest to the direction they came from.
Everybody turning into the nearest lane is what keeps two cars turning at once from meeting in the middle.
state law requires you to turn into the lane closest to the direction you are coming from
Where there is more than one turn lane, a driver stays in their original lane through the turn, and may change lanes afterward if they need to.
Drifting between lanes mid-turn puts you in the space the car beside you is turning into.
If there is more than one turn lane, stay in your original lane as you turn.
A turn signal goes on at least 100 feet before turning left or right across oncoming traffic.
A hundred feet is about the gap the driver behind needs to decide what to do about you.
Put on your turn signal at least 100 feet before you turn left or right across oncoming traffic.
In Washington a U-turn is generally allowed unless a sign is posted saying it is not.
The default runs the other way from most states, so the sign is the whole of the restriction.
In Washington, U-turns are generally allowed unless a sign is posted telling you a U-turn is not allowed.
A U-turn needs clear visibility in all directions, so it must not be made on a curve or approaching the crest of a hill.
You are stopped across both lanes, and anything coming over the crest has no time at all.
You must have clear visibility in all directions before making a U-turn. For that reason, do not make a U-turn on a curve or when approaching the crest of a hill.
On the test
Which lane must a driver turn into?
The lane closest to the direction they came from. Everybody turning into the nearest lane is what keeps two cars turning at once from meeting in the middle. Washington State Driver Guide, p.123: “state law requires you to turn into the lane closest to the direction you are coming from”
How this works
Most practice tests hand you a bank of questions and leave the manual somewhere else. This one puts them together.
You read one law and the reason behind it, then answer a question on that law while it is still fresh. Get it right and you move on; get it wrong and you have found the gap while it is cheap to fix, not on the morning of the exam.
Learning one rule at a time, and proving it immediately, is what turns a manual you skimmed into something you actually know — and it makes studying feel like getting somewhere rather than like waiting to find out.
What it costs
- One payment, once — not a subscription. Nothing renews and there is nothing to cancel, for an exam you sit one time.
- Free to start: a 10-question test and the first section of cards. No sign-up and no account.
- Paying opens the rest of the cards, unlimited full-length practice tests, and retests built from exactly the questions you got wrong.
- Every level up to Prepared — 3 tests passed in a row.
- Do the work, fail the real exam, and we refund you.
Where these come from
Every rule here is checked against Washington State Driver Guide, published by the Washington State Department of Licensing, and against the state code itself. Last checked 2026-09-14.
- src/assets/drivers-manuals/WA.pdf (Washington State Driver Guide, Washington State Department of Licensing, retrieved 2026-09-14)
- https://dol.wa.gov/driver-licenses-and-permits/driver-training-and-testing/driver-guides
- https://dol.wa.gov/driver-licenses-and-permits/driver-training-and-testing/do-i-need-take-test