Left Turn Motorcycle Accidents

They Turn Left. Your Life Takes a Turn for the Worse.

If you ride a motorcycle in California, you’ve probably had a close call with a left-turning driver. Maybe it happened at an intersection. Maybe they misjudged your speed. Maybe they were distracted, and “didn’t see you at all.” Or maybe they saw you — and turned anyway.

Left-turn accidents are some of the most common, most violent, and most deadly crashes motorcyclists face. They often happen in a split second, but the consequences can last a lifetime.

At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we fight for riders who’ve been hit by left-turning drivers — and for families who’ve lost someone they loved to a senseless, avoidable crash. We’re not a billboard firm. We’re California’s Motorcycle Law Firm, built by riders, for riders. We know how these crashes happen. We know how to prove fault. And we know how to win.

Why Left Turn Accidents Are So Dangerous for Riders

Here’s the setup: You’re heading straight through an intersection, with the right of way. A driver coming the opposite direction is sitting in the turn lane. They’re supposed to wait until it’s safe. But instead, they:

  • Misjudge your speed

  • Don’t see your bike at all

  • Think they can beat you through the turn

  • Are distracted or texting

  • Are impatient, tired, or just careless

They cut across your lane — and now you’ve got nowhere to go. You lay the bike down. You collide with their front quarter panel. Or you’re launched over their hood.

Either way, it’s not just a crash. It’s a rider’s worst nightmare.

The Numbers Don’t Lie: Left Turn Crashes Are Deadly

Left-turn crashes are one of the leading causes of fatal motorcycle accidents in California and across the country.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 40% of fatal motorcycle crashes involving another vehicle happen when a car makes a left turn in front of a rider.

In almost every one of those cases, the rider had the right of way. The driver just didn’t yield.

The Excuses Are Always the Same

If you’ve been hit in a left-turn crash, chances are you’ve heard at least one of these:

  • “I didn’t see the motorcycle.”

  • “They were speeding.”

  • “They came out of nowhere.”

  • “I thought I had time.”

  • “I thought they were turning.”

But let’s be clear: it’s not your job to make yourself visible to distracted drivers. It’s their job to watch for motorcycles and yield the right of way. When they don’t — and someone gets hurt — that’s negligence. Plain and simple.

And when we take on your case, we don’t let them off the hook.

Injuries We See in Left Turn Motorcycle Accidents

Left-turn crashes are often high-speed, head-on, or side-impact collisions — all of which are brutal for riders. We’ve represented motorcyclists suffering from:

These injuries change lives. They can end careers, destroy independence, and cause lifelong pain. That’s why we fight for full compensation — not just quick settlements.

What If You Lost Someone You Love?

We know how heartbreaking left-turn motorcycle crashes can be — because we’ve worked with families who’ve lived through them. We’ve also experienced personal loss ourselves. That’s why wrongful death cases mean so much to us.

If your spouse, child, parent, or sibling was killed by a driver who turned left in front of them, we want to help you hold them accountable.

In California, wrongful death compensation may include:

  • Funeral and burial costs

  • Medical expenses before death

  • Loss of financial support

  • Loss of love, guidance, and companionship

You don’t have to go through this alone. We’ll handle the legal battle so you can focus on healing.

How We Prove Fault in Left Turn Motorcycle Accidents

The law is on your side. California Vehicle Code § 21801(a) is clear: drivers turning left must yield to oncoming traffic. That includes motorcycles.

But insurance companies don’t just roll over and pay. They’ll try to argue:

  • You were speeding

  • You were lane splitting

  • You didn’t have your headlight on

  • You weren’t wearing visible gear

  • You didn’t try to brake in time

We’ve heard it all. And we know how to tear those arguments apart.

Our case strategy often includes:

  • Accident reconstruction – to show who had the right of way and how fast everyone was going

  • Helmet cam / dash cam / traffic cam footage

  • Eyewitness testimony

  • Cell phone records – to prove distracted driving

  • Vehicle damage analysis – to confirm impact angles

  • Medical expert testimony – to connect your injuries to the crash

We leave no stone unturned. Because we know what’s at stake.

What To Do After a Left Turn Motorcycle Crash

If you’re reading this after a crash, here’s what we recommend:

1. Seek Immediate Medical Care

Even if you think you’re okay, get checked out. Internal injuries and TBIs can hide at first. And medical records help us prove your damages later.

2. Don’t Talk to Insurance Companies.

Not the other drivers. Not even your own. They’ll call you sounding friendly. Don’t fall for it. They’re trained to get statements that hurt your case. Let us talk to them instead.

3. Save Your Gear

Your helmet, jacket, boots — even your destroyed bike — can be powerful evidence. Don’t throw anything away. We’ll help preserve it for your case.

4. Contact a Lawyer Who Rides (Or At Least Gets It)

You don’t need some guy in a suit who’s never been on a bike. You need someone who respects riders, understands motorcycle dynamics, and knows how to fight and win.

Why Riders Trust McCarthy Motorcycle Law

  • We know motorcycle crashes – and not just from behind a desk. We understand how motorcycles move, how crashes unfold, and how insurance companies try to twist the story.

  • We’re trial lawyers. We’re not afraid to take your case to court — and we prepare every case like it’s going to trial.

  • We don’t settle cheap. We fight for every dollar because we know what your recovery is really worth.

  • You deal directly with us. Not a paralegal. Not a junior associate. When you call, you talk to your lawyer.

  • No fees unless we win. You pay nothing upfront. Ever.

We Represent Riders Across California

Left-turn crashes can happen anywhere. Whether your collision happened:

We know these roads. And we know how to tell your story in a way that gets results.

Real Riders Deserve Real Justice

Left-turn crashes aren’t freak accidents. They’re the result of drivers who weren’t paying attention, didn’t respect your space, or just didn’t care. And when that carelessness ruins your life or takes someone you love, you have every right to be angry.

You also have the right to fight back.

At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we help riders and families get justice, compensation, and closure — and we do it with compassion, strategy, and grit.

Start With a Free Case Evaluation

You’ve got enough on your plate. Let us handle the legal side. Start with a free, confidential case evaluation right here on the site. It goes straight to us — not a bot, not a call center.

If we can help, we’ll set up a free consultation. If we can’t, we’ll point you in the right direction.

Because riders look out for each other. And that’s what we’re here to do.

McCarthy Motorcycle Law – California’s Motorcycle Law Firm
When drivers turn left, we make sure your case goes right.