Serious Personal Injury Caused by Entering Traffic Blind

We have all seen it.  Traffic is backed up.  A driver wants to turn left into a drive or parking lot. The stopped traffic leaves a space for the turner to turn.  The turner takes this as an indication that traffic in the lane to the right  to the stopped traffic is clear.  Without looking, honking, flashing its lights or slowly moving forward, the turner drives into the lane next to the stopped traffic and hits a car properly in that lane causing serious personal injury to the driver who was properly in that lane and who had the right of way.

Avoiding this common collision is so simple, if you are the turner and you cannot see do not proceed.  It is just like coming to an intersection, closing your eyes and making the turn.   It just is not done.  Reasonably careful drivers see before they proceed.  because it is just as likely as not that there is a car in that lane and if there is a car in that lane, that car has the right of way.  The turner must yield to the traffic in that lane.  Only after that lane is clear may the turner proceed.  If the turner cannot see they must not proceed.  This simple rule serves to keep all users of the road safe from car crashes and the resulting serious personal injury and or wrongful death.  This rule is true even if the driver in the stopped lane waives you out.  This “waive out” cannot be relied upon.  That driver has limited vision, and may simply be indicating that they will wait for the turner,  not being meant as a guarantee that the adjacent lane is clear.  The turner must assure themselves that the other lane is clear before they enter the lane.

If you cannot see do not proceed.