The left turn is considered the most dangerous maneuver a driver could make. When making a left the driver of a vehicle is turning into oncoming traffic. Most states require that a left turning motorist engage their left turn signal at lease 100 feet before making the left turn. Additionally, the driver must make the left turn without endangering an oncoming vehicle.
It is presumed that when a driver makes a left turn and causes an accident, they are at fault for causing the accident. The left turn creates a danger by entering into oncoming traffic. While the owner must provide warning to oncoming traffic by engaging their left turn signal, this is immaterial if the driver did not make the turn safely.
A left turning motorist gives the right of way to all oncoming traffic or any traffic too close that would constitute a hazard, before attempting to make the turn. Some courts have ruled that the left turning driver must also check for traffic to the rear of the vehicle and that the driver has failed their duty if they did not take a second look before turning left.
If it is established that the driver was making a left turn when an accident occurred, the driver must then prove that they were not the cause of the accident. If the left-turning motorist is faced with a green arrow left-turn signal, he must prove that he was turning while the arrow was green, or that he had pre-empted the intersection.
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