The Danger of Left Turns
by Colin Moy
What is Civic Engagement?
According to Erin Krcatovich from study.com, “civic engagement is the process of connecting individuals in society with one another, to share common interests and work for the common good.”
An article on ThoughtCo by Robert Longley says that “civic engagement means participating in activities intended to improve the quality of life in one’s community by addressing issues of public concern”.
Based on the two definitions I looked up, I think civic engagement is where people participate in groups and discuss their problems regarding the community or society they are in. The members would share their thoughts and concerns together and come up with an agreement on how they can approach that particular problem.
Introduction
People like driving around town to get from one place to another, but sometimes it can be stressful and dangerous. They must be vigilant and obey all laws to make sure they are safe. However, one of the biggest problems in driving is making left turns, especially in intersections. Drivers find left turns to be the most difficult maneuvers they make because they are concerned and afraid of what lies in front of them and do not want to cause an accident.
Why are Left Turns Dangerous?
Left turns are more dangerous than right turns because it requires more vigilance and awareness about the obstacles people might encounter such as pedestrians, other vehicles, traffic lights, the speed of the oncoming traffic, and more. Drivers also have to make quick assessments and judgements of the situation they are in before crossing the intersection. Any wrong judgement a driver makes in the left turn can lead to an accident that will cause injuries to the drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
How Do Left Turns Affect Drivers?
Left turns affect how drivers feel about traffic safety, making them feel less comfortable about going on the road. There are some factors that make left turn maneuvers more hazardous than they already are:
- Traffic congestion: Makes drivers feel impatient and aggressive when they want to cross the intersection.
- Limited or blocked viewing: Any objects such as trees and other vehicles can obstruct the viewing of the driver because left turns require a wider turning radius. This also prevents them from seeing any designated left turn signs that may appear in the intersection.
- The size of the vehicle: Larger vehicles, especially trucks and buses, can obstruct the view of the drivers behind them, making it difficult to judge the clearance of the left turn. Smaller vehicles, on the other hand, can be harder to see because drivers can only see what is ahead of them.
- Weather conditions: Whether it is rainy, foggy, or snowy, drivers would have to battle with reduced visibility, lack of traction, and other problems caused by weather.
- Actions caused by other drivers: Whether it is accelerating while making a left turn, not using turning signals, or crossing the intersection at a red light, these actions cause left turn maneuvering to be unsafe and could result in an accident.
Research
The reason why left turns are dangerous in Los Angeles, California is because of the lack of left-turn signals. In the earlier part of the 20th century, left turn signals and lanes were unnecessary because all of Los Angeles' intersections had traffic lights installed before its population increased. As of 2016, 15 percent of the lighted intersections have left-turn signs.
In Los Angeles, there were nearly 100,000 accidents that happened at intersections between 2007 and 2017. More than half of these accidents are T-bone collisions, or "broadside collisions" as the Safe Transportation Research and Education Center calls them. According to the US Department of Transportation, the lack of left-turn signals is the main contributing factor for T-bone collisions at intersections.
My Experience with Left Turns
Whenever my parents drive me to the El Monte Bus Station so that I can take a bus to California State University, Los Angeles by bus, there is an intersection where we always have to take a left turn from Cherrylee Dr. to Peck Road. The problem is that we have to put up with the traffic and it is hard to maneuver left turns when there are so many cars passing by. This causes anxiety and impatience to me because I am worried about making to campus on time for my classes and that it disrupts the flow of the traffic when the drivers are going at different speeds. What does not help is the fact the only traffic signals in this intersection are stop signs, which means we would have to wait until the road is all clear. If there were traffic lights in this area, my family and I would be comfortable in making a left turn safely without worrying about the other cars.
Community Perspective
Questions: "Do you feel uncomfortable in making left turns while driving?
"What suggestions do you have to deal with left turns?"
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