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Dangers of Left Turn Car Accidents

Tue 7th Jul, 2020 Personal Injury

Car accidents are an unfortunate risk that comes along with the privilege of driving. While an accident can take place anywhere, they are especially frequent on busy city streets that contain intersections. One of the most common types of intersection accidents is those involving left-hand turns.

A left turn car accident can cause extensive damages, including catastrophic injuries and costly financial losses. Victims of left-turn car accidents in the Stockton, CA, area can work with the car accident lawyers at McKinley, Conger, Jolley & Galarneau, LLP to discuss their right to financial compensation for accident losses.

The Risks of Left Hand Turns

Left turn car accidents are a common occurrence because these types of turns involve more risks than many other driving maneuvers. Left-hand turns are particularly dangerous when compared to right-hand turns, which result in far fewer car accidents than left-hand turns.

There are several factors that make left-hand turns risky for drivers:

  • Many left-hand turns are not controlled by a traffic light
  • Drivers making left-hand turns need to make several judgments regarding the speed and distance of oncoming traffic, as well as the amount of time remaining on the traffic signal
  • Left-hand turns involve crossing at least one lane of traffic
  • Most drivers accelerate into left-hand turns
  • Left-hand turns require more physical effort than right-hand turns
  • Views of oncoming traffic can be obstructed when making a left turn
  • Some drivers fail to use their turn signal when making left-hand turns

How Common are Left Turn Car Accidents?

Given the many risks of left-hand turns, our Central Valley clients may wonder how often left turn car accidents occur. The Federal Highway Administration reports that more than 50 percent of crashes involving injuries and fatalities take place at or near intersections. Among intersection car crashes, the majority involve drivers making left-hand turns.

Potential Damages of a Left Turn Car Accident

Left turn car accidents typically result in a T-bone crash, which is described as the front end of one vehicle making an impact with the side of another vehicle. Although T-bone accidents are not considered as deadly as a head-on collision or rollover accident, they can result in fatalities. And even more often, those of our Stockton clients who are involved in a left-turn car accident end up with serious or catastrophic injuries, which may include broken bones, spinal cord injuries, head or neck injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.

In addition to the physical injuries that a left turn crash can cause, many accident victims suffer substantial financial losses. Injuries are likely to require costly medical care, as well as time off of work as the person recovers, which results in a loss of income. All physical, emotional, and financial losses should be accounted for when seeking compensation for car accident damages.

Contact Us

Left turn car accidents often result in a wide range of losses. If you would like to maximize compensation for accident damages, it is best to work with a car accident lawyer who understands the full effects of these collisions. To find out how the legal team at McKinley, Conger, Jolley & Galarneau, LLP can be of assistance following an accident, send us a message at your earliest convenience or call 209-477-8171.

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