When you’re on the road and behind the wheel of your car, safety is important. You want to do everything you can to prevent an accident, and that includes keeping your hands on the wheel, paying attention to the road and eliminating distractions.
You might also think about cutting left-hand turns out of your travels, whenever possible. A study by the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) says that left turns are precursors to crashes 22.2% of the time, compared to only 1.2% of right turns.
Why is it right to go left?
Skipping left turns is actually the policy of some delivery companies, including UPS – and cabbies in some cities routinely take three rights instead of a left because it’s usually quicker than waiting to turn left at a busy intersection in traffic. In general, choosing to skip left-hand turns can
- Improve fuel efficiency: Making left turns often requires you to wait for a gap in oncoming traffic, which can lead to idling and wasting fuel.
- Save time: Left turns typically require more time, as you need to wait for a safe gap in oncoming traffic.
- Make it easier to focus: Turning left requires more of your attention and more decision-making, which puts you under a heavier mental load.
- Improves pedestrian safety: Left-turning vehicles can pose a greater risk to pedestrians, as drivers may not always see people crossing the road because of blind spots.
Unfortunately, no matter how cautious you are as a driver, you cannot totally eliminate the possibility of a wreck. If you’ve been injured by a negligent driver, it may be time to find out more about how you can obtain fair compensation for your injuries and other losses.