🔄 The K-turn
New Jersey calls it the K-turn, and the manual says plainly that a new motorist will be required to make this turn during the MVC's road test. It's three movements — forward turning left, reverse turning right, forward again — and the grading is as much about where you stop as how you steer.
What the examiner is watching for
- ✓A safe starting spot at the right edge, with good visibility in both directions
- ✓A left signal before moving, and traffic checks before each direction change
- ✓Stopping several inches from the left curb, then several inches from the right curb on the reverse leg
- ✓Wheels straightened as the car comes out facing the new direction
Step by step
- 1Start from the right edge of the road at a spot with clear sight lines both ways.
- 2With no traffic coming, signal left and move forward slowly, turning the wheel to the left.
- 3Stop several inches from the left curb or street edge.
- 4Back up slowly while turning the wheel to the right, stopping several inches from the right curb.
- 5Move forward while turning left, straightening the wheels as you settle into the new direction.
Mistakes that cost points
- ✗Choosing a spot with poor visibility — the location is part of the grade
- ✗Touching or riding up either curb at the stop points
- ✗Skipping the traffic checks between movements
- ✗Needing extra back-and-forth movements because the first turn wasn't full lock
The other 5 skills NJ grades
FullPass is an independent study aid. Road-test guidance is written from official MVC test requirements; your examiner and the Motor Vehicle Commission remain the final authority.