# What if a driver turned left in front of me? Canonical: https://californiapersonalinjurylaws.com/guides/left-turn-crash/ Reviewed by Andrew (Andy) R. Gillin; publisher reported approval on 2026-11-04. Original review date was not supplied. ## Short answer A driver turning left must generally yield to oncoming traffic close enough to be a hazard. Other drivers must still use care too. ## Hypothetical example A driver turns left across the path of a car coming the other way. ## How the rule works Vehicle Code section 21801 sets a yield duty for left turns. The location and distance of oncoming traffic matter. Other unsafe acts may also have helped cause the crash. ## What can change the answer Signals, speed, and what each driver could see may change the answer. A left turn alone does not prove every part of the claim. ## A useful next step Look for video and people who saw the turn. Save proof of the traffic signals. ## Court decisions behind this answer ### Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804, pp. 827–829. A person can share fault and still have a negligence claim. Their share of blame can reduce the recovery. Limit: This does not set anyone’s fault percentage. Other limits and defenses can still matter. Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/13/804.html ## Sources - [Vehicle Code § 21801 — Left turns](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=21801.) - [California Civil Code § 1714 — Responsibility for harm](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=1714.) - [Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804](https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/13/804.html) General information, not legal advice.