Left-Turn Collision: Who Is At Fault?

Left-turn collisions almost always happen when a driver fails to yield the right of way. Regardless of how these collisions occur, the resulting angle or side-impact crash can cause serious injury or death. As a result, determining the fault for these types of car accidents can be critically important.

Under Florida’s no-fault insurance system, losses from minor injuries are automatically covered by your insurance — no matter who caused the crash. But when you suffer a significant, permanent injury, you are required to prove that the other driver was at fault to obtain injury compensation.

If you need help proving your case after a left-turn collision in Miami, FL, contact Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyer at (305) 937-0191 for a free case evaluation.

Table of Contents

How Our Miami Car Accident Attorneys Can Help After a Left-Turn Collision

Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers was founded in 2007 to help personal injury victims in Miami, Florida. The firm’s founding attorney is board-certified in trial law by the Florida Board of Legal Specialization and the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

Our Miami car accident lawyers provide every client with the following:

A free consultation so they understand their rights and the compensation they can recover
A legal team with 100 years of combined legal experience
A strategy to negotiate and litigate fearlessly to attain the best possible outcome

A car accident injury can cost thousands of dollars in medical expenses and lost income. To discuss your injuries and the compensation you can obtain for them, contact Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.

How Many Left-Turn Crashes Happen in Miami?

According to the Florida Crash Facts Report, the state experienced 21,373 collisions resulting from improper turns in 2021.

Florida does not release data about crash causes on a local level, but it does release information about traffic citations. Florida’s Annual Uniform Traffic Citation Report listed 8,659 traffic tickets issued for improper turns in Miami-Dade County in 2021. Not all of these crashes involved a left turn.

They also included:

Pedestrian or Bicycle Collisions

Intersections are particularly dangerous for pedestrian and bicycle accidents. Drivers must yield to pedestrians and cyclists crossing with the traffic signal. However, they often fail to check for pedestrians before they turn right or left through the crosswalk. Careless drivers can also miss cyclists in the bike lane to the right of the travel lanes.

Right-Turn Crashes

Someone making a right turn from a driveway or at an intersection must wait until traffic clears before turning into a travel lane. If they do not stop, they can be hit.

Left-Turn Crashes

Left-turn crashes can happen when a driver turns in front of or into an oncoming car or when a driver runs a red light and hits a turning vehicle.

Determining Fault for Left-Turn Collisions

Drivers must exercise reasonable care. When they fail to do so, they bear the liability for any injuries they cause. To exercise reasonable care, a driver must follow traffic laws.

The fault for a left-turn collision depends on two traffic laws. First, drivers must obey traffic signals and signs. In Florida, drivers can enter an intersection on a green or yellow light. The law only requires them to stop at a red light.

That said, the law makes an exception for drivers in the intersection waiting to turn left. A driver already in the intersection can turn left after the light turns red to clear the intersection.

Second, drivers must yield the right of way to other drivers at intersections regardless of whether the intersection has:

No traffic controls
Stop or yield signs
Traffic signals

Generally, the first vehicle to arrive at the intersection has the right of way. If two cars arrive at the same time, the vehicle to the right has the right of way. If the drivers approach from opposite directions and one wants to turn left, the turning driver must yield to the driver going straight.

You can use these rules to answer the question of “left-turn collision: who is at fault?” in the following situations.

Running a Red Light or Stop Sign

Suppose that a driver runs a red light or stop sign and hits a car that is turning left. The driver who failed to obey the sign or signal will be liable for the crash.

Turning Left on a Green or Yellow Light

Accidents also occur when a driver turns across the path of an oncoming vehicle at a green or yellow light. The driver who turned will bear the liability for the crash. They cannot turn until the intersection clears or until the light turns red.

Going Out of Turn at a Stop Sign

If both drivers had a stop sign, the driver who went out of turn would bear the liability for the crash. Thus, if the turning driver arrives first, they have the right of way, and the other driver bears the liability for any collision. Conversely, if the driver going straight was there first, the left-turning driver should have yielded.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Miami Car Accident Lawyers After a Left-Turn Collision

A left-turn collision can lead to serious injuries or even death. To discuss the compensation you can obtain for your left-turn collision injuries, contact Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.

Common Miami Car Accident Claims We Handle

Our law firm handles all types of car accident claims involving: