You will complete one of three traffic maneuvers when you reach an intersection. You may proceed straight on down the road, or you may turn either left or right.
Many people make driving decisions based on efficiency, as they want to get to their destination as quickly as possible. However, taking the most direct route may expose you to more risk than is necessary out on the road. When you turn left, your maneuver may take longer, and you expose much of your vehicle to oncoming traffic. If someone hits you, you might not get to where you were going for weeks.
Taking a slightly longer route and making fewer left-hand turns might actually keep you safer than taking the most direct way, especially if it involves a left-hand turn at a busy intersection. It may therefore end up being faster.
Left-hand turns cause many traffic collisions
A crash can occur for all kinds of reasons, but turns are involved in many collisions, especially those that occur at intersections. Drivers may fail to signal property or watch for oncoming traffic before starting a turn.
According to federal traffic statistics, left-hand turns are more dangerous than right-hand turns, with 61% of wrecks at intersections involving left-hand turns.
Although you don’t need to drive around the block rather than turning left all the time, you may want to prioritize right-hand turns, especially at busy intersections or times of heavy traffic. Learning about reducing your risk might help you avoid a crash a motor vehicle collision caused by a less careful driver.