Is the driver turning left always at fault?
No, but the turning driver starts at a disadvantage. Pennsylvania requires a driver turning left at an intersection, or into an alley, private road or driveway, to yield to oncoming vehicles that are so close as to constitute a hazard (75 Pa.C.S. § 3322).
The key words are "so close as to constitute a hazard." The rule does not require the turner to wait for an empty road. If the oncoming car was far enough away when the turn began that it would have been safe at a lawful speed, the crash may be the oncoming driver's fault.
When the oncoming driver shares or carries the blame
- Speeding. Every driver must keep a speed that lets them stop within the assured clear distance ahead and must slow for intersections (75 Pa.C.S. § 3361). A car going well over the limit closes a safe gap in seconds.
- Running a red or late yellow. A driver who entered on red had no right-of-way to protect.
- A protected green arrow. When the turning driver has a green arrow, opposing traffic should be facing a red signal.
- Distraction or impairment. A driver on a phone may never have seen the turning car in time to react.
- Driving without headlights at night, which makes a safe gap impossible to judge.
If you were the driver turning left
You may still have a claim. Under Pennsylvania's comparative negligence law (42 Pa.C.S. § 7102), a turning driver who was partly at fault can recover from the oncoming driver as long as their own share is not greater than the other driver's. Your damages are reduced by your percentage.
Regardless of fault, your own policy's first-party medical benefits pay your medical bills first, at least $5,000 on every Pennsylvania policy (75 Pa.C.S. § 1711). Avoid telling anyone at the scene that the crash was your fault. You may not know how fast the other car was going.
The "wave through" and blocked sight lines
A common version of this crash starts with courtesy. A driver in the near lane stops and waves you across, and you turn into the next lane, where a car you could not see hits you. The wave does not transfer your duty to the waving driver, but it does bear on how much of the fault each driver carries.
Sight lines matter in the same way. A bus, box truck or line of left-turners on the other side can hide oncoming traffic. Photographs of the intersection and the position of other vehicles help show what each driver could actually see.
Driveways and plazas on the Pikes
Section 3322 covers turns into driveways and private roads, not just intersections. That matters on West Chester Pike and Baltimore Pike, where drivers turn left across several lanes into shopping centers, gas stations and restaurant lots without a signal to help them. On Roosevelt Boulevard, turns across the inner and outer roadways put drivers in front of fast traffic, and in Delaware County the same risk exists at unsignaled cross streets on Township Line Road and Lansdowne Avenue.
Injuries in a turning crash
The turning car is usually struck on the passenger side, so a front-seat passenger often has the worst injuries: fractured ribs, a shoulder or hip injury, or head injury from the window. The oncoming driver takes a frontal impact, with injuries to the knees, chest and wrists.
Left-turn crashes are especially dangerous for motorcyclists, who are hard to spot and hard to judge for speed. If you were riding, our motorcycle accident page covers those claims.
Evidence that decides a left-turn claim
- The oncoming vehicle's speed, taken from its airbag control module or from video frame timing.
- The signal phase at impact, including whether a turn arrow was lit.
- Skid marks and the distance from the stop line to the point of impact.
- Video from businesses at the corner, which is often recorded over quickly.
- Statements from drivers who were waiting in the turn lane or at the cross street.
Deadline, fee and next step
Most Pennsylvania injury suits must be filed within two years of the crash (42 Pa.C.S. § 5524), and a claim involving a government vehicle requires written notice within six months (§ 5522).
Warren I. Siegel, admitted in Pennsylvania in 1992, handles these claims on 100% contingency. You pay no attorney fee unless we recover, and the firm advances all case costs, repaid only from a recovery. If there is none, you owe nothing. Call (267) 412-4601 or send the free case review form.
Questions People Ask About Left-Turn Accident Claims
Who is at fault in a left-turn accident?
Usually the turning driver, because Pennsylvania requires them to yield to oncoming traffic close enough to be a hazard. The oncoming driver can share or carry the fault if they were speeding, ran a red, or were distracted.
How do I win a claim if I was the one turning left?
Show that the gap was safe at a lawful speed and that the other driver's conduct closed it. Speed data from the other car, video, signal records and witness statements do that work. Even if you share some fault, you can recover as long as your share is not the larger one.
Are left turns riskier than other turns?
Yes. A left turn crosses oncoming lanes and asks the driver to judge the speed of approaching traffic, often with a view blocked by other vehicles. That combination is why left-turn crashes are so often disputed.
Is it a mistake to admit fault after a left-turn crash?
Yes. Stick to the facts with police and your own insurer, and do not apologize or guess at speeds. You may not know until the evidence comes in that the other driver was speeding or ran the light.
What if another driver waved me into the turn?
The wave does not make that driver responsible for checking the next lane for you. But it can matter to how fault is split, especially if the oncoming car in the next lane was speeding or passing stopped traffic.
Sources
Written for general information by the office of Warren I. Siegel, Esq., Pennsylvania Attorney ID 65342. Last reviewed 2026-09-25. This is not legal advice for your situation, and deadlines vary by claim. Talk to a lawyer before relying on any date.