Many people think of themselves as safe drivers. They would never intentionally perform any dangerous driving maneuvers. They’re not excessively breaking the speed limit, aggressively passing when there isn’t enough space, or intentionally tailgating other vehicles. They do what they can to drive safely.
But even these drivers have to do some incredibly dangerous maneuvers. In fact, one of the most dangerous things you will do on the road is something you do, in all likelihood, every time you get behind the wheel: turning left.
Why are left turns so dangerous?
Left turns are very dangerous for a few different reasons. First and foremost, turning left on any two-way street means that you cross in front of opposing traffic. There’s an inherent risk of an accident that is much higher when doing so than if you are turning right or simply driving straight.
The second issue is that left turns are a judgment call. It is up to you to analyze oncoming traffic conditions and determine when it is safe to turn. But if you make a mistake or an incorrect judgment, it could lead to an accident.
And even if you make the correct judgment call, other factors could still lead to a crash. For instance, maybe it appears that you have plenty of space to turn, but you don’t realize that the approaching driver is breaking the speed limit. They close the distance much faster than expected, and an accident is unavoidable.
Seeking compensation
Because of these inherent risks on the road, accidents do happen every day. If you’ve suffered injuries, be sure you know what legal steps to take to seek compensation.