Left turns across traffic are dangerous because it’s very difficult to accurately determine the speed of oncoming vehicles. You also have to watch for pedestrians and time the turn around a changing signal. Federal crash research found that turning left was the critical event in roughly 22% of the crashes studied, and right turns pose far fewer risks.
A left-turn crash at a busy Las Vegas intersection like Flamingo Road and Decatur Boulevard or Charleston Boulevard and Rainbow Boulevard can leave you with broken bones, a totaled car, and a stack of medical bills. Even when the other driver was speeding or ran the light, the insurance company’s first move is usually to blame the turning driver.
The risks compound fast. A truck stopped in the nearest oncoming lane can hide a speeding car in the open lane beside it. A motorcycle’s narrow profile makes its closing speed almost impossible to judge from a distance. A pedestrian stepping off the curb goes unnoticed when your attention is locked on oncoming traffic. Sorting out who was really at fault takes evidence that can disappear within days.
In this article, you will discover what causes left-turn collisions, how Nevada law assigns fault, and how a Las Vegas left turn accident attorney can protect your right to compensation.
What Is an Unprotected Left Turn?
A left turn across traffic forces you to cross directly into the path of oncoming vehicles. You have to judge the speed and distance of multiple cars, watch for pedestrians in the crosswalk, and clear the intersection before the light changes, all at the same time.
When this turn is made at a green light without a dedicated green arrow, it is called an unprotected left turn. Unprotected left turns are the single most common crash pattern in the left-turn cases we handle in Las Vegas.
Are Left Turns More Dangerous than Right Turns?
Yes. A right turn moves with traffic and creates just one or two conflict points (places where your path crosses another driver’s or pedestrian’s path). A left turn creates far more conflict points, forcing you to cut across oncoming lanes, bike lanes, and crosswalks at the same time.
Logistics giant UPS redesigned its entire delivery network to eliminate left turns wherever possible. Fewer crashes. Lower fuel costs. Faster delivery times. The conclusion is clear: left turns are inherently more dangerous than any other turning maneuver on the road.
Who Has the Right of Way when Turning Left in Nevada?
Right of way determines who is legally required to yield, and in a car accident case, it is one of the first factors that determines fault. Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 484B.253 is specific about who must yield in every left-turn scenario.
Protected Green Arrow
A solid green arrow gives you the right of way to turn. Oncoming traffic is stopped at a red, and you can proceed safely. This is the only truly protected left-turn situation.
Flashing Yellow Arrow
A flashing yellow arrow means you may turn but must first yield to all oncoming traffic and pedestrians. These signals are common throughout Las Vegas and a frequent source of crashes, because many drivers mistake them for a protected turn when they are not.
Unprotected Left Turn at a Green Light
A solid green light without an arrow means you must yield to any oncoming vehicle close enough to be a hazard. This is the most disputed fact pattern in left-turn accident cases.
Left Turn at a Stop Sign
You must stop completely, yield to all cross traffic from both directions, and only then proceed. The intersection must be completely clear before you turn.
Pedestrians and Cyclists in the Crosswalk
Left-turning drivers almost always focus on oncoming cars and overlook the pedestrians crossing the street ahead of them. Nevada law is clear: you must yield to any pedestrian or cyclist lawfully in the crosswalk.
One pattern we consistently see in Las Vegas left-turn claims is confusion over flashing yellow arrows at busy intersections along Sahara Avenue and Tropicana Avenue. What we see across these claims is that the turning driver believed the arrow gave them the right of way, while the oncoming driver sped up to beat a changing light. Signal timing records from the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada often show that both drivers share responsibility, which changes the value of the claim under NRS 41.141.
What Causes Most Left Turn Accidents?
Knowing the rules is not enough. These are the most common reasons drivers still get it wrong.
- A-Pillar Blind Spots: The A-pillar is the post that connects your roof to the area beside your windshield. It can completely hide an approaching motorcycle or small car, making the lane appear clear when it is not.
- Gap Acceptance Errors: “Gap acceptance” is your brain’s real-time judgment of whether you have enough time to turn safely in front of oncoming traffic. Drivers consistently underestimate how fast a distant car is actually closing in.
- Multilane Screens: When a truck or SUV in the nearest oncoming lane stops to let you turn, it can hide a vehicle accelerating through the open lane beside it. By the time that car appears, there is nothing you can do.
- Motorcycle Visibility: Motorcycles are narrow and their speed is much harder to judge from a distance than a full-size vehicle. A left turn in front of an unseen motorcycle is one of the deadliest collision types we handle.
- The Yellow Light Trap: Drivers waiting to turn often go for it on yellow. At that same moment, an oncoming driver accelerates to beat the same light, and both vehicles meet in the middle of the intersection.
Who Is at Fault in a Left Turn Accident in Nevada?
In almost every left-turn crash, insurance adjusters start from the same position: the turning driver failed to yield and is at fault. Nevada law places the duty on the turning driver to see what is there to be seen before committing to the turn.
That starting position can be overcome. We do it by proving the oncoming driver was also negligent. Common examples that shift fault include:
- Exceeding the speed limit by a significant margin
- Running a red light
- Texting or using a phone while driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Nevada uses modified comparative negligence under NRS 41.141. This means you can still recover damages as long as you are found to be 50% or less at fault. Your final award is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found 20% responsible, you keep 80% of your total damages.
In one case we handled, a driver trying to turn left from a small street onto a main road collided with our client and then claimed our client had changed lanes right before impact. We showed that our client had the right of way no matter which lane he was in, and an expert proved from the point of impact and where the cars came to rest that no lane change happened.
“What insurance companies like to do is find a way, even if they’re at fault, to assign what’s called comparative fault, in order to pay less.” – Adrian Karimi
What Evidence Proves Fault in a Left Turn Crash?
Evidence disappears fast. Cameras overwrite their footage. Skid marks get cleared from the road. You cannot afford to wait before securing what proves your case.
| Evidence Type | What It Proves | Why It Disappears Quickly |
| Surveillance Video | Light color, vehicle positions, and driver behavior | Most systems overwrite every 7 to 30 days |
| Signal Timing Records | Exact signal phase at the moment of impact | Must be subpoenaed from the RTC or NDOT |
| Vehicle Black Box (EDR) | Pre-crash speed, braking, and steering inputs | Lost if the vehicle is repaired or transferred |
| Skid Marks and Crush Depth | Reconstructed pre-impact vehicle speeds | Roads are cleaned, and vehicles get repaired quickly |
| Eyewitness Statements | Whether the other driver was speeding or ran the light | Witnesses move on and become difficult to locate |
A tactic we see repeatedly from adjusters in Las Vegas left-turn cases is relying on the oncoming driver’s statement that they were going the speed limit. In our experience, black box data and nearby business video often tell a different story, and that evidence is what moves fault off the turning driver when the oncoming car was speeding.
“By proving the driver’s own version of events wasn’t scientifically possible, I was able to prove he had to have been distracted.” – Adrian Karimi
What to Do after a Left Turn Crash in Nevada
The steps you take in the first 24 hours protect both your health and your legal rights.
- Call 911 and get medical care. Even if you feel fine, see a doctor immediately. Adrenaline masks serious injuries, and gaps in your medical records are the number one thing insurers use to deny or reduce claims.
- Photograph everything at the scene. Capture both vehicles from all angles, the traffic signals, skid marks, and the full intersection layout before anything is moved or cleaned up.
- Identify nearby cameras. Note every business, casino, and traffic camera with a view of the crash. We send legal preservation letters within 24 hours to stop footage from being deleted.
- Do not give a recorded statement. Notify your own insurer of the crash, but refuse to speak to the other driver’s adjuster until you have an attorney.
- Call Ladah Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Las Vegas. The insurance company already has a legal team building a case against you. You need one working for you, 24/7, with no fee unless we win.
“Insurance companies pretend to be your friend. But they’re only trying to set you up to fail.” – Adrian Karimi
What Compensation Can You Recover after a Left Turn Crash?
A serious injury reaches into every part of your life: your body, your paycheck, and your family’s financial future. We secure significant recoveries for injured clients, including major verdicts and settlements, and we fight for every dollar you are owed.
- Medical bills and future care: All past emergency, surgical, and rehabilitation costs, plus the projected cost of any future treatment or long-term care you will need.
- Lost income: The wages you missed while recovering, plus diminished earning capacity if your injuries limit what you can earn going forward.
- Pain and suffering: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the activities and relationships your injuries have taken from you.
- Property damage: The repair or replacement value of your vehicle, plus the cost of a rental car while yours is out of service.
- Punitive damages: When a driver was drunk, racing, or reckless, Nevada law allows additional damages specifically designed to punish that conduct.
“I had another lawyer before I got in this car accident but my lawyer didn’t work the way I wanted. Ramzy Ladah does exactly what I want. The way he fights in court for me was really good. It was like my family member fighting for a family member.” – Dina Martinez
How Long Do You Have to File a Left Turn Claim in Nevada?
In Nevada, you have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit under NRS 11.190(4)(e). Property-damage-only claims have a three-year deadline.
Do not wait. Video footage disappears in weeks. Witnesses move on. The insurance company knows your deadline and will stall until you miss it.
How Ladah Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Las Vegas Wins Left Turn Cases
We do not settle cheap and fast. We build every case for trial from day one, and that commitment is exactly what forces insurance companies to pay full value instead of a fraction of it.
- Insider knowledge: Firm founder Ramzy Ladah began his career defending Nevada’s largest insurance carriers. He knows their playbook and now uses it exclusively for injured people.
- Certified specialist: Ramzy is a State Bar of Nevada Certified Personal Injury Specialist, one of only a handful of attorneys in the state to hold that designation.
- We have obtained substantial recoveries, including multimillion-dollar results in wrongful-death, reckless-driving, and head-injury cases.
- Trial-ready from day one: Our reputation as a firm willing to go all the way to a jury verdict is our greatest leverage over any insurance carrier.
- Direct access: You get your attorney’s cell number the day you hire us. Available 24/7. You pay nothing unless we win.
“Ramzy is just very thorough, and he explains things very well. He was in contact with me consistently. I felt like I knew what was going on at all times. And the way he prepared me made me feel very, confident in both my ability to testify and also in his strategy. If you are hurt, if you’ve been in a car accident, if you have been injured in some way, I would recommend Ladah Law.” – A. Wilson
Injured in a Left Turn Crash? Get Legal Help Today
You should not have to fight a billion-dollar insurance company alone. Call (702) 252-0055 for a free case evaluation at any of our three Southern Nevada offices: Downtown Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and Spring Valley.
By Your Side, Securing Your Future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Oncoming Speed Change Who Is at Fault in a Left Turn Crash?
Yes. If the oncoming driver was significantly exceeding the speed limit, Nevada’s comparative negligence rule can shift part or all of the legal fault to them, which directly increases the compensation you can recover.
How Do I Prove What Color the Traffic Light Was in Las Vegas?
We subpoena official signal controller logs from the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, which provides a digital record of the exact signal phase at the moment your crash occurred.
How Long Do Las Vegas Traffic Cameras Keep Footage?
Because camera footage is often retained only for a limited time, we send legal evidence preservation letters the same day we are hired.
What Happens if the At-Fault Driver Has No Insurance?
Your own Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage (known as UM/UIM) steps in as the substitute source of compensation for your injuries, up to your policy’s limits.
Can Out-of-State Visitors File a Left Turn Crash Claim in Nevada?
Yes. Nevada law governs any crash that happens here, and we handle the entire process remotely so you never have to travel back to Las Vegas.