Human error is the leading cause of motor vehicle collisions. Frequently, those errors are relatively obvious and therefore preventable. Drivers know it is not safe to get behind the wheel after drinking or to text while driving. They overestimate their skill or underestimate the risk and then cause a crash.
People who fail to use their turn signals or merge without checking their blind spots can cause preventable crashes. So can excessive speed. In some cases, perfectly legal and theoretically safe decisions in traffic can cause serious car crashes. When approaching an intersection, drivers have multiple options available to them. A common, seemingly safe decision could potentially lead to a devastating wreck.
Turning left is a high-risk choice
Left turns are relatively slow because people drive on the right side of the road in the United States. While right turns are fast and do not disrupt traffic much, left turns require more time and space. Turning left usually requires that a driver slow down significantly and cross all approaching lanes of traffic. Any vehicle coming from another direction could strike a driver during a left turn.
Left turns can lead to devastating T-bone or side-impact collisions. According to research into intersection crashes, more than 60% of the wrecks that occur near intersections involve a vehicle turning left. Not all vehicles feature airbags and other safety devices that protect people from side impact collisions.
The unfortunate reality is that a driver following the law and making a normal decision at an intersection could end up seriously hurt and without a vehicle because someone else didn’t monitor their surroundings. Left turns are so dangerous that many delivery companies try to minimize or outright eliminate them on driver routes.
Motorists can protect themselves by monitoring traffic carefully, using their turn signals consistently and minimizing left turns, especially at high-traffic locations. Those involved in crashes that occurred during a left turn may be able to hold the other driver accountable.
Filing an insurance claim could lead to compensation for property damage losses and injury-related expenses. Those with significant losses may need to consider a personal injury lawsuit. Learning about factors that contribute to car crash risk can help people protect their interests both on the road and should an accident occur despite their best efforts.