Left turns take longer than right turns. The flow of traffic on the right side of the road leads to significant exposure for those turning left.
Many intersections feature dedicated lanes and even special lights for left turns to ease traffic congestion and reduce the risk of a crash. Despite those efforts, left-hand turn collisions are still relatively common. When they occur, they create significant risk, as they often lead to the deadliest type of collision.
Left turns may result in T-bone collisions
When one vehicle in the middle of a turn strikes another vehicle proceeding directly through an intersection or a driver going straight hits a turning vehicle, a side-impact collision is likely. Also known as a T-bone crash, a side-impact collision is incredibly dangerous.
According to federal crash statistics, T-bone collisions cause more fatalities than head-on collisions and rear-end collisions combined. Many other T-bone collisions leave vehicles totaled and occupants dealing with severe injuries.
Drivers turning left should never take their safety for granted. People never know when other motorists may fail to monitor their surroundings or yield the right of way. If a crash occurs, factors including distraction, who had the right of way and even the use of turn signals can influence which party is at fault for the crash.
Those involved in intersection collisions that occur during a turn may have grounds to hold another driver involved accountable for their unsafe conduct. Pursuing compensation after a left-hand turn T-bone crash can help people pay to repair their vehicles and cover the medical expenses generated by a wreck accordingly.
