Making a left turn at an intersection can result in a deadly car accident. Sadly, it did in St Petersburg on Saturday evening.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, an 11-year-old boy was killed and three others were injured when a car headed south on 34th Street S collided with a northbound car turning left in front of it at the intersection with 15th Avenue S. A very sad story and my thoughts go out to the grieving family.
A study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association found that about 70% of all intersection related crashes involved a left turn whereas only 2.2% of intersection related crashes involved persons turning right. Although the study is a bit dated, the statistics are likely similar today. The study found that the four reasons why turning left caused the car accident were:
- False Assumption of Other’s Action,
- Turned With Obstructed View,
- External Distraction,
- Misjudgment of Gap or Other’s Speed
Some tips to reduce the risk inherent with turning left include:
- Whenever possible, try to use intersections that have a signal with a green left-turn arrow (protected left turn). When the left-turn arrow is no longer green, you must yield to all oncoming vehicles.
- Rather than making a left, consider going to the next intersection and making three right turns. This may take longer, but you will avoid the left turn altogether and reduce your chances of a crash.
- Position your vehicle in the proper lane for turning. For a left turn, be in the lane closest to the centerline.
Taking these steps could avoid a car accident. Drive safely and watch out for those who don’t!
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Attorneys Matthew Noyes and Lorrie Robinson help families who are impacted by a Tampa Bay car accident. Attorney Matthew Noyes even wrote a book on it – Do You Really Need An Attorney After a Car Accident. If you have questions after a car accident, call Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes at 727-796-8282 or simply click here to schedule a free case consultation.
