You might make countless left turns while driving in a given month and hardly think much of this everyday occurrence. Things can change quickly, however, if another motorist were to hit you while you were in the act of turning. Often, the motorist who was turning — you, in this case — will be deemed to be at fault for the accident, given that the other motorist likely had the right of way to pass through. If you've been in such an accident, you may be able to go to court with the argument that the other driver, not you, was at fault. Here are some things that you'll need to prove.

You Had An Advanced Green

One of the few times that you won't be at fault for an accident that occurred while you were turning left is if you had an advanced green. This signal gives you the right of way, rather than forcing you to yield to oncoming traffic before you make your turn. Of course, you'll need to be able to prove that you did, indeed, have an advanced green signal. One of the best ways of doing so is to provide dash camera footage, which you may have. If it can clearly show that you were turning while the arrow was still green, this can help your case.

The Other Driver Was Speeding

Even if you didn't have an advanced green that gave you the right of way, you may be able to prove that the other driver was at fault if you and your attorney can prove that he or she was speeding. For example, perhaps you were looking for an opening to turn left, and as you began to turn, you realized that the other driver appeared to be traveling well beyond the speed limit — causing him or her to get to the intersection faster than expected and run into your vehicle. Proving the driver's speed may be difficult, but traffic camera footage that shows the vehicle traveling significantly faster than those around it may be advantageous.

There Was A Traffic Light Malfunction

Occasionally, malfunctioning traffic lights can contribute to accidents. Such incidents may be rare, but if you suspect that this was a factor, you can do some investigating. For example, if you had an advanced green but a malfunction caused the other motorist to have a green light, this could have contributed to the collision. Witnesses who will support your claim of the malfunction can be helpful in this instance.

Reach out to an attorney, like those at Kaston & Aberle, for assistance with your case. 

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