The best way to reverse a vehicle when turning is to

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Most drivers spend very little driving time in reverse gear. However, vehicle damage caused by reversing is one of the largest contributors to motor vehicle insurance claims—both the frequency of collisions and total repair costs.

The damage usually occurs when the insured vehicle is reversed into an object, a building or another vehicle. In the worst cases, a child or other pedestrian is the victim.

Reversing and the law

A driver who doesn’t reverse a vehicle safely is breaking the law under Part 18 of Transport Operations (Road Use Management — Road Rules) Regulation 2009.

296 Driving a vehicle in reverse

(1) The driver of a vehicle must not reverse the vehicle unless the driver can do so safely.

Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.

(2) The driver of a vehicle must not reverse the vehicle further than is reasonable in the circumstances.

Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.

Employers also have obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. If drivers regularly have collisions while reversing a work vehicle, the employer must conduct a risk assessment to identify how to minimise the risk.

Preventing reversing collisions

Poor reversing visibility and failure to compensate are factors that contribute to many collisions. Most reversing collisions occur at low speed and are preventable if drivers take some simple safety precautions and modify their driving behaviour.

Some issues for employers, drivers and passengers to consider when assessing the risks of reversing include:

• Is there a need to reverse?
• Is there enough space to reverse safely?
• Should objects or hazards be highlighted with high visibility paint or other coatings to make them more visible?
• Does the size of the vehicle contribute to the risk? Would a smaller vehicle reduce the risk?
• Is it safer to reverse into a parking space, so the vehicle can drive out forwards?
• Should pedestrians be separated from reversing vehicles?
• Does the vehicle have restricted rear vision?
• Would a vehicle with a better reversing visibility index reduce the risk?
• Is a guide needed to assist with reverse parking?
• Is driver training, instruction or supervision needed?
• Does the vehicle need in-vehicle parking aids, such as reverse parking sensors or reversing cameras?

Tips for safer reversing

Before you drive, consider these useful tips to reduce the risks of reversing:

• Consider whether it’s safe and necessary to reverse.

• Ensure that the vehicle’s rear vision mirrors are clean and properly adjusted to maximise rear vision.

• Consider fitting blind spot mirrors or ‘fish eye’ mirrors to increase rear and side vision.

• Avoid reversing over a long distance. It may be safer and easier to turn around or drive around the block.

• Visually check for obstacles on approach to a reverse parking area.

• Always aim to enter and leave any road in a forward direction.

• Never reverse from a minor road onto a major road.

• If you’re reversing across an obscured footpath or other area where there may be pedestrians, use the vehicle’s horn to warn them.

• Give way to pedestrians if you’re entering a roadway from a driveway.

• Before reversing, look over both shoulders, and use the reversing camera and mirrors to check for objects.

• Reverse slowly, and constantly check the reversing camera and all mirrors to ensure the area remains clear. Pay attention to audible alarms and stop reversing if you hear an alarm. Recheck that the area is clear if you still need to reverse.

• Remember that reversing vehicles have no right of way. If a vehicle approaches from behind, remain stationary and give way until it passes.

• If you’re unsure whether the way is clear because of blind spots, see if someone can guide you. If not, get out and check for obstacles yourself.

• Don’t be too proud or shy to ask someone to guide you while reversing. It’s less embarrassing to use a guide than crash a vehicle.

• Before reversing from a parking area with restricted rear vision, walk around the vehicle and check for hazards.

• Get into the habit of reverse parking into parking spaces that have obscured vision. Reversing into these spots will give you better vision when you drive out.

• If you’re driving an unfamiliar vehicle, practise reversing to become aware of the vehicle’s rear visibility, turning circle and potential blind spots.

• Choose smaller vehicles for the best fit and easier parking in cramped parking conditions.

Last updated: 11 August 2022 Last reviewed: 11 August 2022

Always check your mirrors and over your shoulder before reversing. If you can’t see behind your vehicle, walk around and check there are no obstructions – too many toddlers are killed and injured in driveway accidents each year due to vehicles reversing into them.

It's more difficult to control your vehicle when reversing than driving forwards, so you should never reverse for any more distance than is necessary.

There are three ways of reversing.

Looking over your shoulder

This may not work for a heavy vehicle as there are no quarterlights or rear window. Turn your head over your left shoulder. You can use your left arm to brace behind the passenger seat if you need to, but bear in mind this reduces your control of the wheel. You can unbuckle your seat belt only for reversing if you can't see well enough. 

Look into the distance through the rear window and you will be able to judge where you are heading. Bear in mind that for very narrow areas that this method might see you hit something with your wing mirror and therefore you should learn how to reverse using your wing mirrors, too.

Using your mirrors

Using your wing mirrors is more and more important because modern vehicles have smaller rear windows due to the rear pillars having a thicker construction to make them safer. This technique also is good if you have a stiff neck. If you are driving a heavy vehicle without a rear window, this will be your only technique unless you have a guide (see below).

Adjust your mirrors so that you can just see the side of your vehicle. You might want to angle them down a little for reversing if it's important that you see where your tyres are (this is useful when you are on, say, a slightly raised concrete driveway and you don't want your tyre to fall over the edge which could beach your vehicle on the concrete).

Take it slowly at first. Reversing using your mirrors is more complicated than reversing while looking backwards through the rear window. If you see obstacles getting close in your left mirror, turn the steering wheel slightly clockwise. Bear in mind that this will then direct the front of your vehicle towards the left edge (hence why only turning it slightly clockwise). If you see an obstacle in your right mirror then you will turn the wheel anti-clockwise.

As you are reversing you will need to keep checking the mirrors on both sides of the vehicle. Your mirrors won't cover your blind spots, so be careful.

Remember that you can always stop and get out to have a look if you're not sure. Traps for unwary drivers include raised concrete driveways where it's easy to drop a wheel off the edge and beach the car, roads where the gradient falls away, making it difficult to see out of the back window, and vegetation that constantly gives false readings on reversing sensors.

If you have a reversing camera and sensors, use them. There's more information about reversing cameras and sensors here. But you should never rely just on the reversing camera as they distort the perception of distance and often don't cover enough angle.

Using a spotter or guide

A spotter or guide is someone that can go around the back of your vehicle and help guide you. A guide should not be directing you from the front of the vehicle unless they are directing you into a parking space or onto a trailer whereby they can't stand behind you.