Injured in a West Palm Beach left turn accident? You may want to consult a car accident attorney in West Palm Beach.
A left turn is considered one of the most dangerous driving maneuvers. Why are left turns so dangerous? When making a left turn, a driver must turn into oncoming traffic this creates a danger for everyone in the intersection and puts the driver at an increased risk of injury in a West Palm Beach traffic accident.
Injuries from a left turn accident can be catastrophic. The car in the intersection may be travelling at a high rate of speed. The impact can causehead injuries, spinal cord injuries, lacerations, internal injuries, contusions and fractures. Often these crashes are fatal.
Because of the risk of serious accidents, there are more rules for left turns than for right turns. Most states require that drivers turn on their left turn signal at least 100 feet before making a left turn. A driver give the right of way to all oncoming traffic regardless of what the traffic light says, and the driver must make the left turn without endangering an oncoming vehicle.
How to make a safe left turn:
- Make sure your car is in the correct lane to make a left hand turn. The lane may or may not be marked, but it is usually the lane closest to the center line.
- Slow down and signal that you intend to make a left turn. You should begin signaling 100 feet from the intersection.
- Wait until there is no on-coming traffic before entering the intersection. Yield to any cars, trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians or bicycles approaching from the opposite direction.
- Look in all directions before making your turn.
- Slow down and proceed with caution into the intersection.
- Stay right of the center line and turn into the appropriate lane.
Because Florida drivers making a left turn are responsible for making sure the turn can be completed safely, they are usually considered to be at fault if a West Palm Beach left-turn accident occurs. There are some exceptions, but if a diver was making a left turn when a Florida traffic accident occurred, it is the driver’s duty to prove that he was not the cause of the accident. This is true even if the driver had a green arrow.
In this case, the driver must prove that the arrow was green the entire time he was turning left that he had pre-empted the green light at the intersection.
In the unfortunate event that you are involved in a Florida left turn accident, it is important that you consult with a car accident attorney in West Palm Beach. Determining fault for a left turn accidents can be complex, and you don’t want to be held liable for damages that were not your fault.