Uber and UPS are both Avoiding Left Turns - Maybe You Should Too

November 08, 2022, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Left-Hand Turns are Dangerous

As a personal injury lawyer, I have seen the devastation caused by left-turn car accident injuries firsthand. Left turns are among the most dangerous driving manoeuvre with almost 22% of crashes involving a vehicle turning left at an intersection. In Canada, in 2019 there were 5,855 crashes involving left turns resulting in 41 deaths and 8,550 injuries according to the National Collision Database.

UPS Banned Left-Turns

UPS decided that left turns were bad in 2014 when they instructed their drivers to take three right turns instead of one left turn. UPS reduced left turns in order to reduce gas waste, increase cost savings and avoid accidents. They design their routes based on right turns. They did the math and found that more stops can occur per hour if the delivery vehicles are turning right than if they turn left. UPS concluded that they saved 38 million litres of gas in North America in 2014 cutting 100,000 metric tonnes of carbon emissions. That number will have grown significantly given the explosion of delivery traffic.

Uber Bans Left-Hand Turns

Uber joined UPS this year. They announced last month that their in-ap nav system will now recommend more right turns to increase safety (reducing vehicle crashes) and to make trips safer. They didn’t address fuel savings to the contract drivers in their decision. Along with this move Uber has announced increased safety measures by expanding its audio recording pilot to more cities and by introducing video recording as well. They are also introducing driver warnings at intersections that are two-way stops to alert drivers to check for cross traffic.

Why Are Left-Hand Turns Dangerous?

Left-turn accidents cause the highest and most severe crash injuries to drivers and passengers. They are extremely dangerous because drivers are focused on multiple hazards such as:

• Oncoming vehicles
• Pedestrians
• Blind spots
• Traffic lights
• Cross-traffic
• Moving against traffic
• Requiring driver discretion and experience to proceed
• Yellow lights are too short

There is a growing call to abolish left-hand turns based on statistical evidence. They argue that eliminating some left-hand turns will improve traffic flow and make intersections far safer. In the US approximately 61% of all crashes in intersections occur in left-hand turns.

Have You Been Injured In a Car Accident?

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a car crash, please contact one of our personal injury lawyers today at 519.742.7774 for your free initial consultation.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

It is important that you review your accident benefit file with one of our experienced personal injury / car accident lawyers to ensure that you obtain access to all your benefits which include, but are limited to, things like physiotherapy, income replacement benefits, vocational retraining and home modifications.