What is a significant risk when making a left turn across traffic?

Making a left turn across traffic presents a significant risk of being struck, especially because this maneuver often requires drivers to cross multiple lanes of oncoming traffic. When doing so, the driver may have limited visibility of the oncoming vehicles due to various factors, such as the position of other vehicles, road obstructions, or even weather conditions. This lack of protection is particularly concerning as vehicles traveling straight may not expect a car to enter their path, leading to potentially severe collisions.

The nature of left turns involves timing and judgment; miscalculating the speed of oncoming traffic or misjudging the gap to complete the turn can result in a crash. Unlike other situations where the vehicle may have the right-of-way or may be traveling in a straight line, left turns often put drivers directly in the path of opposing traffic without adequate buffer or escape routes, increasing the severity of the risk involved in making such turns.