Though it may seem a very ordinary occurrence during driving, executing a U-turn may be one of the most dangerous driving maneuvers, and a common cause of collisions. The reasons for this are that when executing a U-turn, the driver must be aware of oncoming traffic, traffic that may be making a right turn at an opposite corner, as well as the traffic behind him or her. This is a lot to be aware of. Also, a U-turn takes longer to complete than a standard turn, so a longer break in traffic is required in order for the U-turn to be completed safely.
When a collision occurs involving a U-turn, the circumstances surrounding the maneuver will determine liability. For example, a driver making a U-turn from the wrong lane, or a turn lane designated as “no U-Turn” would likely be found liable if such a move resulted in a collision. A common scenario is when a driver pulls to the side of the road and, after presumably waiting for traffic to clear, executes a U-turn across lanes to go in the opposite direction. This move is dangerous, as visibility can be impaired, and can result in a T-bone type collision, which often result in more severe injuries.