Left-Turn Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Georgia & South Carolina
Left-turn accidents are the single most common type of motorcycle crash. These collisions occur when a car, truck, or SUV turns left at an intersection or driveway directly into the path of an oncoming motorcycle. The NHTSA reports that left-turn scenarios account for approximately 42% of all fatal crashes between motorcycles and other vehicles — making this the leading collision pattern for motorcycle fatalities nationwide.
At Roden Law, our motorcycle accident lawyers handle left-turn collision cases throughout Georgia and South Carolina. We understand why these crashes happen, how insurance companies try to blame riders, and what it takes to secure full compensation for our clients.
Why Left-Turn Accidents Happen to Motorcyclists
Left-turn crashes are overwhelmingly caused by the turning driver’s failure to see or yield to the oncoming motorcycle. Contributing factors include:
- “Looked but didn’t see” phenomenon: Drivers often look for cars and trucks but fail to register motorcycles because they are smaller and less expected. This perceptual blindness — called inattentional blindness — is the primary cause of left-turn motorcycle crashes
- Speed misjudgment: Drivers frequently misjudge a motorcycle’s closing speed because of its narrow profile, believing they have time to complete the turn
- Visual obstruction: Other vehicles, road features, or A-pillar blind spots can hide an approaching motorcycle from the turning driver’s view
- Distraction: Drivers checking phones, adjusting controls, or focused on other traffic may not see the motorcycle until it’s too late
- Failure to yield: Drivers who turn left on a yellow light or misjudge a gap in traffic
Injuries in Left-Turn Motorcycle Crashes
Left-turn collisions typically strike the motorcycle at a perpendicular angle, giving the rider almost no time to brake or swerve. The motorcycle often impacts the side of the turning vehicle, or the vehicle strikes the motorcycle broadside. Common injuries include traumatic brain injuries, broken legs and pelvis (from the motorcycle being struck or the rider being thrown), road rash and skin abrasion injuries, shoulder and collarbone fractures, spinal injuries, and internal organ damage.
Liability in Left-Turn Motorcycle Accidents
In most left-turn accidents, the turning driver is at fault for failing to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-71) requires drivers turning left to yield to oncoming vehicles that are close enough to constitute an immediate hazard. South Carolina has a similar right-of-way statute.
Despite clear liability, insurance companies routinely argue that the motorcyclist was speeding, was not visible, or failed to take evasive action. Our attorneys counter these defenses with accident reconstruction analysis, witness testimony, traffic camera footage, and physical evidence including skid marks and vehicle damage patterns. Under both states’ modified comparative fault rules, even if the rider bore some fault, they can still recover damages as long as they are less than 50% (Georgia) or 51% (South Carolina) at fault.