The average route a person takes to get somewhere involves multiple turns. It’s likely that some of these are left turns and some are right turns. You might not think much about how many turns you have to make or how many in each direction. However, at least one company that employs delivery drivers has, and their research suggests that all drivers should.
United Parcel Services (UPS) has had a policy of limiting left turns for over two decades. You might still see a UPS truck make a left turn. However, the software they install in their vehicles guides drivers on routes that limit or avoid left turns
Not traveling across the flow of oncoming traffic
The problem with left turns is that they force a vehicle to move across the flow of oncoming traffic, and that creates a point of increased risk. If you or one of the oncoming drivers misjudges the speed of the other, then a collision is a real possibility. A crash could also occur if the left-turning vehicle loses power midway across, as the oncoming vehicles might not be able to slow in time to avoid hitting them.
You might need to drive a little further if you eliminate left turns, and with the current price of gas, you may want to keep every trip as efficient as possible. What UPS found is that minimizing left turns was actually more efficient, as waiting for a gap in the oncoming traffic so you can turn left burns through both gas and time.
Getting hit by an oncoming vehicle would have serious costs and consequences. Anyone injured in a collision should consider legal guidance to explore their options for compensation.
