Making a left hand turn is one of the most dangerous maneuvers you attempt while driving your car. It can also be the deadliest because you are exposing the thin, weak sides of your car to oncoming traffic; airbags and seatbelts are much less effective in these left hand crashes. Green left turn arrows, roundabouts and “Michigan U-turns” are becoming more popular at busy intersections and safety is improving. But there are many times when you must make a left turn across many lanes of traffic.
Or do you?
United Parcel Service now routes all their trucks to make right turns only:
“UPS’s routing software shaved 20.4 million miles off their routes last year while delivering 350,000 more packages.” and “Turning right decreases safety hazards and delays. If a driver is stuck waiting for traffic to pass with a left blinker on, it’s going to set them back. Jutting out into traffic is also a good way to get side-swiped, especially when driving a big truck” according to Bob Stoffel, Senior VP of UPS.
Think about your neighborhood and subdivision and your route to work, the grocery store and school. Instead of making a beeline to the main road where you must make a left turn can you go the opposite way and make two right turns to get out to the main road? This may seem like a waste of time and fuel but according to the UPS study you will not wait as long idling your engine while waiting to make the left turn.
We live in a “grid style” subdivision so it easy for me to drive a few blocks on residential streets to where the traffic light is. I can then make a left turn under the protection of a traffic signal. Modern subdivisions with curving winding streets and cul-de-sacs may be more difficult but explore other routes, you may find a path to a traffic signal or where you can make a right turn.
