Responsible Driving When making a Left Hand Turn?

Question

Is it a drivers responsibility to take action while driving that would avoid causing an potential accident? A car(#1) was stopped in the fast lane of a major highway (4 lane 2 each direction) where there was no turning lane approx. 100 feet in front or behind to make a left turn and was reared ended from behind. The car(#2)that hit the vehicle stated they did not see any break lights or turn signal to indicate the #1 was not moving at the posted speed of 65mph. Should #1 have driven 100 ft futher up where there was turn lane and came back and make make a right turn to avoid being at a complete stop in the fast lane on a major highway? Facts to consider are cars traveling behind are cresting over a hill approx. 100 feet from where #1 stopped, their rear window view was blocked by camping equipment, and the speed limit changes from 50 to 65 mph.(it is ? that #1 was not stopped but had slowed to check out a commercial being filmed.) Just because the turn is legal it is dang. rt there.

Answer 1

Unless car 1,  the one that was rear-ended was attempting a left turn where prohibited,   there is no fault.      Trying to turn without a signal is a violation,   as is inoperative brake lights.   But you then state something about a filming,  so it is possible he was just coasting.  

Car 2.    Following too closely  or failing to maintain proper lookout.    No matter what happens in front,   it is a driver's responsibility to watch for it and have time to react.    This means put the darn phone down and pay attention!!!

Answer 2

It doesn't matter what car #1 was doing or whether their rear view mirror was blocked.  For all it matters, car #1 could have been a mattress fallen off a car, or a boulder rolled onto the road.  Car #2 should have been prepared to stop short of it.  Car #2 was just charging ahead, overdriving the distance they could see, assuming the road was clear, in other words trying to make it other people's job to have the road be clear.  Doesn't work that way even on the freeway.

And I should point out that responsibility here can be double.  The guy who dropped the mattress is responsible, as is the guy who overdrove his vision and ran into it.  The fact that the first guy shouldn't have dropped the mattress doesn't make the other guy any less responsible.

Car #1's left turn was legal unless there was four yellow lines across the road(that's two sets of double yellow lines), or a curb.

Now Rhonda makes a point that even though it's legal, it's not particularly safe - and car #1 is partly morally responsible, even if they are not legally responsible at all.  That's a good point.  In that case it is better for everyone to not attempt a left turn there but go past to a safer place and come back.  It could also be good to approach the county or state about getting a left turn lane installed.

Answer 3

All drivers are responsible for making sure accidents don't happen. Defensive driver. If you can't see the road then you need to slow down. It doesn't matter the speed limit. It's a limit so you can slow down especially if you know the road. If you don't know the road then you should err on the side of caution. There are more cars on the road so every driver must be more careful and SLOW DOWN. Expect the unexpected. Be smart.  Car #1 They should have had a turn signal on and should have been more aware of other drivers. They should have done all they could do to make as safe a turn as possible. It sounds like they were hillbillys (tunnel vision).  All I see is me and all I think about is me.

Car # 2 should have been prepared to stop.

Both cars are responsible but car #2 is more responsible.

Answer 4

I would say that if this is what happened then car (1) would be at fault and any witnesses would be helpful..........and also you just cant stop that far from the turn.....

Answer 5

Dual responsibility it seems...#1 tried to make a dangerous left turn (on a highway with a 65 mph speed limit and no left turn lane)...Even if there was a sign saying 'left turn OK', the #1 driver should have realized that it was a dangerous spot because of slowing/stopping in high speed traffic...#2 is to blame as well because he failed to recognize the hazard due to speed and a 'blind' hill...Regardless of the speed limit, drivers must drive according to the road conditions.