Syracuse, New York, U-Turn Car Accidents

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Recognized as a Super Lawyer and American Institute of Trial Lawyers Litigator of the Year, is Committed to Providing Peerless Personal Injury Service. If You, or a Loved One, Have Been Injured in an Onondaga County U-Turn Accident That Was Not Your Fault, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Could Help You Investigate Your Accident and Assert Your Rights to a Fair Recovery.

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In Syracuse, and throughout much of New York state, drivers can typically exercise their own discretion in deciding whether it is safe to make a U-turn. However, the rules of the road set clear expectations: motorists must abide by signs prohibiting U-turns in certain areas, and they cannot turn onto the opposite side of the road unless it is safe to do so.

Unfortunately, even people who normally make a good-faith effort to ensure their safety and that of everyone around them sometimes make mistakes. Bad weather, a failure to signal, or a momentary lapse in judgment could have catastrophic consequences. Accidents are common, and they happen with borderline alarming regularity.

In the aftermath of a serious crash, drivers often struggle to retain any real sense of independence. Even if a no-fault policy or health insurance carrier agrees to cover a victim’s medical expenses, injuries can have repercussions that extend beyond a need for short-term treatment. Lost income from work, or an insurer’s refusal to cover damages like emotional pain and suffering, could leave survivors with little hope for anything resembling a fair recovery.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. believes that nobody should feel forced to accept hardship after an accident that was not their fault. Since our founding in 2005, we have helped our clients in Syracuse and across the state secure more than $250 million in damages, money that they have used to pay off their medical debt, seek higher-quality care, and begin rebuilding their lives. We could help you, too. Please send us a message online or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to an experienced car crash lawyer and start exploring your options for effective legal relief.

New York And Syracuse Law On U-Turns

Every state enacts and enforces its own traffic code, with laws on U-turns varying between states. In many places, including New York, U-turns are permitted only under certain conditions, with towns and cities allowed to enforce additional restrictions.

New York’s Vehicle & Traffic Law establishes a baseline for statewide rules, in that it details the authority of different state agencies in regulating roadways, as well as the rights and responsibilities of individual motorists. Its seventh title, “Rules of the Road,” provides guidance on turning maneuvers. Two of these sections, Section 1160 and Section 1161, specifically address the legality of U-turns.

Under New York VTL § 1160 (e), U-turns must typically be made from the lane closest to the center line. Unlike some other states, New York permits U-turns from left-turn lanes at intersections and stoplights—provided that the turning driver has right-of-way, and that they initiate their turn from the lane closest to the median.

Furthermore, and in contrast to its preceding section, New York VTL § 1161 prohibits all U-turns under all of the following circumstances:

1. In areas of limited visibility, including curved and crested roads, from which oncoming traffic cannot be seen;
2. In school zones, with “school zone” defined as any stretch of road for which a school zone sign has been posted; and
3. When driving any “stretch limousine” with a seating capacity of nine or more passengers, including the driver. This prohibition applies to both public roads and most private roads open to the public.

The City of Syracuse, through its Code of Ordinances, enforces several more restrictions on U-turns within city limits. In general, drivers cannot make any U-turn in the “central traffic district,” defined as the area bounded by the following streets:

1. North and South Townsend Street on the east;
2. East and West Adams Street, Oneida Street, and Onondaga Street on the south;
3. The Wester Street Arterial on the west; and
4. West Genessee Street and James Street, up to James Street, on the north.

Outside of the central traffic district, U-turns are permitted unless prohibited by a sign or other marker. However, even in areas where U-turn maneuvers are legal, drivers cannot begin turning until it is reasonably safe to do so. U-turns that are performed illegally and without respect to public safety almost always have the potential to end in collision, injury, or even death.

Accidents can be expensive, but you should never feel forced to pay out of pocket for a crash that was not your fault. If you, or a loved one, has been injured in a Syracuse U-turn accident that was not your fault, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. could help you explore your options for a fair legal recovery. Please send us a message online, or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a car crash lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.

Common Causes Of U-Turn Accidents

Few drivers would ever initiate a U-turn if they knew their maneuver would likely cause an accident. However, even experienced and otherwise reasonable motorists sometimes make mistakes, mistakes that may be prompted by frustration, distraction, or intoxication.

Some of the most common causes for U-turn accidents include the following:

1. Negligence: New York’s laws on U-turns are straightforward and easily accessible. Even if drivers do not understand the logic underlying certain U-turn-related regulations, they must still abide by the law, adhere to posted traffic signs, and ensure that it is safe to turn before proceeding into another lane. Motorists who abrogate their responsibilities are negligent and could be liable for the costs of any resulting collision.
2. Inexperience: Every new driver learns the rules of the road before getting their license, but far too many motorists do not have the experience needed to properly interpret road signs or assess traffic conditions. Statistically, such inexperienced drivers are much more likely to cause and be involved in certain types of accidents than others.
3. Poor Visibility and Inclement Weather: Poor visibility and bad weather cause significant increases in crash rates. However, even in Syracuse’s notoriously difficult winters, motorists are expected to ensure safety by adjusting their driving to accommodate changing conditions.
4. Failure to Signal: Aside from defining rules for and prohibitions on U-turns, the New York Vehicle & Traffic Code also requires that drivers signal their intent to suddenly decelerate or turn by using an appropriate turn signal. If a motorist does not use their turn signal, they could cause a crash.
5. Distracted, Fatigued, or Impaired Driving: Distracted, fatigued, and impaired driving have very different causes, but produce a startlingly similar effect: an impaired reaction time and an inability to make reasonable decisions about traffic safety.

Protecting Your Rights After A Syracuse U-Turn Accident

New York’s no-fault insurance system is designed to provide anyone injured in an accident with guaranteed medical benefits, irrespective of any determination of fault.

However, no-fault insurance policies have critical limitations, limitations imposed both by the terms of your policy and by stringent state laws requiring that carriers stop providing certain benefits after a pre-defined period of time. For survivors with serious injuries, insurance benefits are not always sufficient to cover the short-term costs of care, let alone those incurred by a disabling injury or life-altering medical condition.

Depending on the circumstances of your Syracuse U-turn accident, a personal injury lawsuit could help you recover damages beyond your policy limits. These damages could include, but are not limited to, compensation for the following types of losses:

1. Your existing medical expenses;
2. Anticipated medical treatment;
3. Assisted living-related expenses;
4. Physical rehabilitation;
5. Lost income from work;
6. Diminished earning potential;
7. Emotional pain and suffering;
8. Loss of enjoyment;
9. Disfigurement; and
10. Wrongful death.

New York does not currently cap damages in most successful car crash claims, meaning that you could receive as money as you need to begin rebuilding your physical health and reclaiming your financial independence.

However, you cannot wait too long to contact an attorney. In New York, strict statutes of limitations set a deadline for legal action against negligent drivers. If you do not act now, you could lose your right to recompense.

Do not delay: call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. today at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to an experienced U-turn car accident lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 1-866-529-5334 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Syracuse, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

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