If you want to stay safe on the road and you’re planning out your next route, don’t just trust the GPS. It is going to tell you to take some left-hand turns. But the truth is that your safest route is usually one that avoids these turns.
This is usually not impossible, but it might be inconvenient. Instead of turning left down the street, you have to take three right turns and go around the block to get to the same location. It takes longer, but even spending more time on the road doesn’t mean you’re in more danger. It’s less risky to turn right than it is to turn left — not even close.
What makes them so dangerous?
The first reason that a left turn is so dangerous is simply because you must cross another traffic lane to make that turn. There may not be any cars coming towards you, but you still have to cross that lane. A right turn does not force you to cross other lanes, so the odds of an accident are substantially lower.
A left turn also involves a judgment call, made by the driver who is turning. If you do see a car coming, you have to decide if it’s far enough away that you can turn safely. This works in 99% of cases. However, every now and then, that other driver is speeding or you just misjudged the difference, and you can cause an accident.
What if someone else caused the crash?
Understanding how to make yourself as safe as possible is beneficial. However, even if you do all of the things that you can, you could still be injured by someone else’s mistake. If they caused the crash, you may be able to seek compensation.