What steps should you take to make a left turn at an intersection?

Making a left turn at an intersection involves several important steps to ensure safety and compliance with traffic laws. The correct approach is to signal your intent to turn, allowing other drivers and pedestrians to be aware of your actions. This is critical for maintaining safety on the road.

Looking around before making the turn is equally essential. This involves checking blind spots, ensuring that there are no pedestrians or obstacles in your path, and confirming that the intersection is clear. Being aware of your surroundings helps prevent accidents and improves overall road safety.

Finally, slowing down before the turn is crucial for executing the maneuver safely. Reducing your speed allows for better control of the vehicle and provides time to navigate the turn smoothly. It also makes it easier to yield to oncoming traffic or pedestrians, if necessary.

In contrast, speeding up and making the turn quickly could lead to loss of control, increased risk of accidents, and it also disregards the need to check for other road users. Changing lanes only after turning does not account for the need to merge into the correct lane safely before turning, which can lead to dangerous situations. Lastly, relying solely on mirrors without physically looking around neglects potential blind spots, which can result in missing critical information about the surrounding environment.