Careless turning is one of the most common causes of accidents on the road. All over the country, truck drivers hit the headlines when they hit a pedestrian or cyclist when turning right at an intersection. Collisions also occur relatively frequently because a motorist turning left does not see an oncoming motorcyclist, or sees it too late.
In 2021, official statistics registered 258,987 road accidents involving personal injury. The most common cause was misconduct by those involved in the accident when turning, turning, reversing, and driving in and out (46,741 cases). This killed 227 people. This is evident from the figures from the Federal Statistical Office.
Accident researchers attribute the continued high number of accidents and fatalities to various causes, but distraction and carelessness are particularly noticeable. According to this, road users are conspicuously often busy with their smartphones in the event of accidents, as the Goslar Institute for consumer-friendly insurance, which is supported by the HUK-Coburg, emphasizes. There are still many drivers who use their mobile phones without a hands-free system. Another mistake that accident researchers notice negatively is that many drivers forget to look over their shoulder when turning. In urban areas in particular, visibility is often restricted by parked vehicles and delivery traffic. As a result, pedestrians and cyclists can quickly go unnoticed at intersections and junctions.
The three most common triggers of accidents involving personal injury across all age groups and modes of transport are mistakes when making a left turn, incorrect turning into flowing traffic and failure to make a right turn. More than a quarter of accidents in Germany occur at intersections or junctions because a road user ignores the right of way when turning or crossing. Incidentally, such accidents when turning and crossing are more common among young people and young adults aged 17 to 24 and over 65, as the relevant surveys show. Experts attribute this in particular to the fact that intersections and junctions often represent a complex scenario.
In principle, increased attention and rapid braking readiness apply to every turning maneuver. In addition to looking over your shoulder, timely use of turn signals should be a matter of course. To avoid possible misunderstandings, eye contact with pedestrians and cyclists should be sought when turning at intersections. (awm)