According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over half of crossing-path crashes, specifically, 53.1%, happen when someone is making or has just made a left turn. In another report, they found that 22.2% of intersection-related crashes were caused by a left-hand turn. This shows just how common and dangerous these types of accidents really are.
And in crowded cities, they’re even more dangerous. A New York City study found that left-hand turns are three times more likely to injure or kill pedestrians and cyclists than right-hand turns. Between 2010 and 2014, 108 pedestrians and bicyclists were killed in NYC by left-turning vehicles.
What makes a left-turn accident especially risky is how much can go wrong all at once. You’re crossing multiple lanes, checking for fast-moving cars coming from different directions, and also watching for people walking or biking. Passenger vehicles were involved in 80% of fatal or serious left-turn crashes in NYC, and most of those happened at intersections with traffic signals, places where drivers should be the most careful.
Common Reasons Left Turn Accidents Happen
When left-turn crashes happen, they usually trace back to a handful of repeated mistakes. Here are the main culprits:
- Assuming the other driver will stop or slow down: This is one of the biggest mistakes people make. You think the oncoming driver sees you turning and will yield or brake, but they don’t. According to NHTSA, this kind of false assumption accounts for 8.4% of left turn crashes at intersections.
- Making an illegal maneuver: Maybe it’s turning from the wrong lane or going against a “No Left Turn” sign. NHTSA points to illegal maneuvers in about 6.8% of intersection crashes involving a left turn.
- Being distracted: A quick glance at your phone or even just zoning out can lead to disaster. NHTSA found that inattention was a factor in 3.4% of left-turn intersection crashes.
- Misjudging gaps in traffic: This one’s tricky because traffic isn’t moving at one steady speed. The NYC DOT explains that drivers tend to take left turns faster than right turns because they’re trying to cover more ground quickly. But that’s where bad judgment happens – you see a gap that’s not really safe and go for it.
- Having a blocked view: Maybe there’s a delivery truck or a parked SUV right at the corner. That blind spot near the front left side of your car, the one between your windshield and side window, is a bigger problem than most drivers realize. It can completely hide a pedestrian or cyclist from view at the worst possible time.
Protecting Yourself After the Accident
If you ever find yourself in a left-turn crash, there are a few steps you need to take immediately to protect yourself legally and financially.
- Call the police and file a report. Even if it seems minor, this creates a legal record of what happened.
- Seek medical care. Don’t skip this. Some injuries show up hours or even days later. Get checked out.
- Take photos and gather evidence. Capture the damage, where your car ended up, skid marks, signs, anything that helps tell the full story.
- Get witness info. If someone saw what happened, get their name and number before they leave.
This might feel overwhelming in the moment, but later on, you’ll be glad that you did, especially if there’s a dispute over who’s at fault.
Who’s Legally at Fault in a Left Turn Crash?
In most cases, the law will put the blame on the driver making the left turn. In Georgia, for example, the Georgia Code § 40-6-71 says that anyone turning left must yield to cars coming from the opposite direction. It’s your job to make sure the path is clear before making your move.
But it’s not always your fault just because you were turning left. If the other driver ran a red light, was speeding, or was driving under the influence, they might be at fault instead, or at least share the blame.
And if there was an emergency, like a pedestrian suddenly stepping into the crosswalk, that can also change how liability is determined.
