Texas Accident & Injury News
Left turns can result in catastrophic motorcycle accidents.
Motorcyclist and Teen Passenger Injured After Laying Bike Down to Avoid a Vehicle Making a Left Turn
According to a KSAT News report, a motorcycle accident on the Northwest Side resulted in a man and his teen passenger being seriously injured.
Police reported the accident happened at around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 3rd, at the intersection of Pin Oak Drive and Oakdale on the Northwest Side. A driver was using his signal to turn left on Pin Oak Drive while traveling eastbound when he said a motorcycle approached, coming westbound at “a high rate of speed.” The motorcyclist tried to turn to avoid the vehicle, laying the bike down in the process. This threw the rider, a 24-year-old man, and his 13-year-old female passenger to the ground.
Neither was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. The man suffered head trauma, and the girl suffered injuries to her legs. They were both hospitalized in serious condition but reported to be in stable condition as of Sunday morning. No criminal charges are pending against the driver who was making the left turn.
Did You Know?
36,509 accidents across Texas in 2023 were the result of a driver failing to yield the right-of-way during a left turn.
Left Turn Accidents and Motorcycles: Who’s At Fault?
Left turns can be tricky to navigate, especially in busy intersections.
Even if you’re making a protected left turn, you still need to watch out for cyclists, pedestrians, and other vehicles making a right on red. If it’s that dangerous and stressful for you, you can imagine how much danger motorcyclists face because of left turns.
Left-Hand Turns Put Motorcyclists At Risk
A significant portion of motorcycle accidents occur at intersections, and the majority of those are caused by left turns.
Motorcyclists are more at risk when drivers are making a left turn because:
- They are more difficult to see,
- It is more difficult to judge a motorcyclist’s speed,
- Drivers are far less aware of motorcycles than of other vehicles in general.
Because these accidents typically happen at higher speeds and involve head-on collisions, motorcyclists are more likely to suffer severe injuries from them, such as:
- Head trauma/TBI,
- Spinal cord injuries,
- Broken bones,
- Fractures,
- Internal injuries,
- And road rash.
Who’s At Fault in a Left-Turn Accident Involving a Motorcycle?
Typically, the driver who was making the left turn is responsible for the accident. This is large because when making a left turn, you are responsible for:
- Watching for approaching vehicles,
- Yielding ROW to approaching vehicles,
- And watching for and yielding to pedestrians when appropriate.
However, there are scenarios when the left-turning driver is not (or not entirely) at fault. For example:
- An approaching motorcycle or vehicle was speeding,
- An approaching motorcycle or vehicle ran a red light,
- The left-turning driver had the ROW (protected left turn with a green arrow),
- An oncoming motorcycle or vehicle suddenly changed lanes or was driving distracted.
In a study conducted by the NHTSA in 2010, the researchers found that accidents at intersections (primarily left-turn accidents) most commonly happened because of:
- Inadequate surveillance ( the driver didn’t check properly before turning) — 44.1%
- False assumptions of another’s actions — 8.4%
- Turned with obstructed view — 7.8%
- Made an illegal maneuver — 6.8%
- Distraction in vehicle — 5.7%
- Misjudged speed/distance of approaching vehicle — 5.5%
Interestingly, the most common reason why drivers today hit motorcyclists at intersections is that they simply didn’t see them. However, this is not an excuse to cause an accident. Drivers are responsible for being aware that they may be sharing the road with motorcyclists at any given time, and to use extra care to prevent an accident.
Injured in a Left Turn Accident? Call Shaw!
If you were injured in a left-turn accident that wasn’t your fault anywhere in Texas, you could be entitled to compensation for things like:
- Ambulance Costs,
- ER Treatment,
- Surgeries,
- Medical Bills,
- Pain and Suffering,
- Trauma/PTSD,
- Property Damage,
- Missed Work,
- Wrongful Death,
- And More.
We’ll help you find out if you have a case for free.
Call Shaw at 800-862-1260 to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney in Texas. There are no fees and no obligations attached, just the expert legal advice you need. Carabin Shaw has been a trusted name in San Antonio and across Texas for over 32 years because we put our clients first.
We look forward to serving you.