Articles Posted in Left Turn Accidents

Left-turn accidents typically occur when a driver turns without yielding right-of-way to a driver traveling straight ahead. In particular, left-turn motorcycle accidents often lead to severe injuries or fatalities. Due to the typical size and weight of a car, motorcyclists lack adequate protection when they collide with a much larger vehicle. When a left-turn driver strikes a motorcycle, the motorcyclist or their passengers may choose to bring a negligence lawsuit to recover compensation for their injuries. However, motorcyclists should first understand how courts determine fault in a left-turn motorcycle accident.

A recent news article reported on a left-turn accident that left a motorcyclist dead. According to the article, a woman in Florida was driving north when she turned left at an intersection. As the woman made the turn, she struck a motorcyclist traveling south, who was thrown off his motorcycle. The motorcyclist was taken to a nearby hospital, where he sadly died from his injuries.

How Can You Prove Fault in a Maryland Left-Turn Motorcycle Accident?

To prove fault in a Maryland left-turn accident, plaintiffs must show that the defendant’s negligent driving caused the accident. Failing to obey Maryland traffic laws can provide some evidence of fault. Under Maryland law, drivers making a left turn must yield the right-of-way to any oncoming vehicles. This rule applies on private roads and busy highways at intersections with or without a stop sign. Unless left-turn drivers have a green arrow traffic light, they do not have the right-of-way. While the driver making the left turn is often the at-fault party, there are circumstances when the fault lies with the injured party. For example, the injured driver or motorcycle rider may have committed a separate traffic violation, such as running a red light.

Left turns are one of the most dangerous driving maneuvers for drivers, especially novice drivers, older adults, and motorcyclists. Even the most careful drivers can find themselves in a precarious situation when they are making a left turn. Maryland left-turn accidents, especially those occurring during a yellow light can have disastrous consequences to drivers, passengers, and bystanders. Those who suffered injuries involving a negligent driver may be able to recover compensation against the at-fault parties. Presenting an iron-clad case for recovery is especially important in Maryland because of the state’s strict contributory negligence statute

According to Maryland’s Traffic Code, yellow lights are a warning to notify drivers that they should slow down because the light is about to change to red. However, many people read this signal as a notice to quickly make the light before it turns red. While accidents involving yellow lights may stem from various situations, most of them involve one driver proceeding straight and another driver trying to make a left, before the light turns red.

The law imposes a duty on turning drivers to ensure that the roadway is safe to make the maneuver. As such, in most cases, the driving turning left will be liable for the accident. However, each case presents unique facts and circumstances, and an attorney can assist injury victims in presenting a compelling case for recovery.

After a Maryland accident, more than one party or cause may be responsible for the accident. While determining responsibility and apportioning fault is essential in any state, it is a determinative factor in Maryland. It is especially critical in Maryland because if a plaintiff is found to be responsible at all for the accident, they will not be able to recover at all for their losses. In addition to aiding oncoming drivers, an attorney can assist left-hand turner drivers in establishing that the other driver was at fault. As such, accident victims and their loved ones should make sure that they contact an attorney to develop and present a strong case.

Left-hand turn accidents usually occur when one driver making a left comes into contact with a driver proceeding straight. Even though left-hand turn accidents usually stem from the negligence of the left-hand driver, in some cases, the other driver may be liable. This often occurs if the oncoming driver ran a red light or broke another traffic law. However, the first step in any liability inquiry is whether the left-hand turner followed Maryland’s traffic rules. The rule is straightforward: motorists making a left-hand turn only have the right of way when they have a green arrow at an intersection. Absent an arrow; the left-hand turner must always yield to traffic.

Why Are Left Turns So Dangerous for Motorcycles?

Left-hand turns are dangerous maneuvers because they require the turning driver to pay attention to several areas at once. The driver must be aware of oncoming traffic and pedestrians coming from multiple directions. Most of these accidents occur because of sudden stops, a driver’s inability to gauge speed, blind turns, and busy intersections. Further, heavy traffic, pedestrians, nighttime driving, and geographic considerations may impact the likelihood of an accident. The impact can have catastrophic consequences on anyone in the vicinity of the accident.

Although most people do their best to follow traffic rules, every driver has had to yield their right-of-way to prevent an accident from taking place. Sometimes, however, drivers fail to yield their right-of-way entirely, which could cause devastating consequences for all parties involved. In Maryland and across the United States generally, failure-to-yield car collisions remain common—and can often become tricky cases to pursue because both parties will argue that they had the right-of-way.

According to a recent news report, a motorcyclist was hit by a car driven by a motorist who failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign. Local authorities say that the car driver was attempting to make a turn when she failed to yield the right of way to the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, and the car driver’s passenger was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. State police say that the circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation.

Who Needs to Yield the Right of Way in Maryland?

In Maryland, the state Motor Vehicle Administration has explicit rules on when drivers should yield the right-of-way and how to share the road with other motorists and pedestrians. According to the Maryland Driver’s Manual provided by the state agency, no driver should automatically assume that they have the right-of-way, and drivers are responsible for controlling their own vehicles to avoid crashes whenever possible in different roadway layouts and contexts.