Who is at Fault in a Left Turn Accident?

We all have to make left turns from time to time when we drive, and in countries like the United States where we drive on the right side of the road, making a left is among the most dangerous driving maneuvers. Turning left goes against the flow of traffic, and there are often impediments that prevent drivers from getting a clear line of sight when they make this type of turn.

With many left turns, a motorist goes from completely or almost completely stopped to full acceleration. This can make it more difficult to judge the distance across the intersection and the speed required to safely cross it. And on top of that, our vehicles do not always accelerate the way we expect them to.

So how dangerous are left turns? According to a crash factor study conducted by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), turning left is nearly twice as dangerous as driving straight, and nearly 20 times as dangerous as making a right turn.

Who is to Blame for a Left Turn Accident?

As a general rule, the driver of the vehicle making a left turn is nearly always at fault when they collide with another vehicle or object. This is because those making left turns are given the lowest priority when it comes to right-of-way. Traffic laws in most areas of the country require drivers who are turning left to yield to approaching oncoming traffic and wait until it is completely safe to make the turn. Therefore, if they collide with another vehicle, they are usually assumed to have violated these rules.

Are there exceptions to this rule? Yes. There are definitely times when the driver making the left turn is not at fault (or at least not totally at fault). Here are some examples:

• There was a green left turn arrow: One of the few times when a vehicle turning left has the right-of-way is when they have a green left turn arrow. If this was the case, then it is likely that if a collision occurred, another vehicle driver, motorcyclist, bicyclist, or pedestrian violated a traffic law.

• Another vehicle went through a red light: One such example of a traffic violation would be if one of the other vehicles involved in the collision went through a red light. This could be an oncoming vehicle that T-bones the vehicle turning left, or it could be a vehicle that goes through the perpendicular intersection, causing a rear-end or head-on collision with the left-turning vehicle. In either case, the vehicle went through a red light would almost certainly be at fault.

• Two vehicles were turning left at the same time: A left turn accident can occur on multi-lane roads when two cars are turning left at the same time. In this type of accident, one of the cars usually causes the crash by crossing into the other car’s lane during the turn.

• The oncoming vehicle was speeding: There are instances when a car has a sufficient amount of distance to safely make a left turn, but the oncoming vehicle is going so fast that it collides into it. If a left turn accident happens because an oncoming car is speeding, the driver of the car that is speeding and violating traffic laws would probably be the one at fault. This can be difficult to prove, however, and there will need to be strong evidence, such as eyewitness testimony and ideally, video footage from a stoplight or dashboard camera.

• Unexpected circumstances: There are times when a vehicle starts to make a left turn when it was safe to do so, but they are forced to slow down because of something unexpected and this slowdown results in a collision with another vehicle or object. Depending on what happened, this could be another case where the driver turning left might not be totally at fault.

As you can see, there are some left turn accidents in which the situation is more complicated and there could be more than one party at fault. When this happens, Mississippi’s pure comparative negligence laws would apply. Under comparative negligence, a left turn driver could still receive compensation for their injuries, but their compensation award would be reduced in proportion to the percentage they are found to be at fault for the accident.

Injured in a Left Turn Accident in Mississippi? Contact an Experienced Pascagoula Car Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one suffered injury in a left turn collision, compensation may still be available even if you were partially to blame. Do NOT admit any fault for the accident – leave that to the experts to sort out. Next, get in touch with a seasoned auto accident attorney to help ensure that your rights and interests are fully protected.

If the accident occurred in Biloxi, Gulfport, Pascagoula, Ocean Springs, or anywhere in Southern Mississippi, call the Gardner Law Firm today at (228) 900-9618 or message us through our online contact form to schedule a free consultation. We will meet with you to discuss your case and advise you of your legal options, so you can make the most informed decision on how you wish to proceed.