Left turns are one of the most common ways a routine drive turns into a major collision.

You’re crossing lanes, judging distance and speed, watching signals, and often dealing with limited visibility.

In South Carolina, left-turn cases also trigger predictable insurance arguments about who had the right-of-way, whether the turn was “safe,” and whether the other driver shares blame.

This article explains the core fault rules for left-turn wrecks in South Carolina, the statutes that usually control, and the disputes that come up again and again in claims and lawsuits.

(This is general information, not legal advice. Speak with a South Carolina car accident attorney about your situation.)

Why left turns create high-stakes crashes

A left-turn driver typically has to “cut across” oncoming traffic.

That means even a small error in timing can produce a high-speed, broadside impact.

And because left turns often happen at intersections—where there are traffic lights, turning lanes, and competing duties—two drivers can each claim the other “caused it.”

South Carolina’s traffic statutes provide a framework for sorting those duties, but the outcome often depends on evidence: signal timing, lane positions, sight lines, vehicle speeds, and what each driver could (and should) have seen.

The key South Carolina statutes that govern left turns

Yielding when turning left

The biggest rule is simple: the left-turning driver must yield to oncoming traffic that is in the intersection or close enough to be an immediate hazard.

That duty is spelled out in South Carolina Code Section 56-5-2320 (Vehicle turning left).

In many left-turn claims, the insurer for the turning driver will still argue the oncoming car was speeding, running a light, or otherwise “not lawfully there.”

Even so, the baseline is that a left turn is a yield maneuver under this statute. South Carolina Legislature Online+1

Turning from the proper position

South Carolina also regulates how a driver should set up a turn—such as approaching from the proper part of the roadway and turning from the appropriate lane.

That framework is in South Carolina Code Section 56-5-2120 (Required position and method of turning).

This matters when crashes involve:

• Turning from a through lane instead of a designated left-turn lane,
• “cutting” the corner into the wrong lane,
• using a two-way left-turn lane improperly.

Signaling and making sure the movement is safe

Even when a driver has room to turn, failure to signal (or signaling too late) can become a major fault issue.

South Carolina Code Section 56-5-2150 (Turning movements and required signals) addresses when signals are required and reinforces that turning movements must be made safely.

Stop signs, yield signs, and “immediate hazard” language

Many left-turn wrecks happen when someone turns left from a stop sign or yield sign into a busier roadway.

South Carolina Code Section 56-5-2330 (Stop signs and yield signs) uses the same “immediate hazard” concept and includes a helpful proof rule for yield signs: a collision after passing a yield sign without stopping can be treated as prima facie evidence of failure to yield.

Fault rules: negligence, comparative fault, and what “50%” means in South Carolina

Left-turn accidents are usually evaluated as negligence cases: did someone fail to use reasonable care, and did that failure cause the crash?

Comparative negligence (shared fault)

South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence approach commonly described as “50% or less.”

In other words, a person generally can recover damages if their fault is not greater than the other side’s fault.

South Carolina appellate decisions discussing this framework trace it to Nelson v. Concrete Supply Co. and describe it as a “less than or equal to” approach. South Carolina Judicial Branch+1

Multiple defendants and apportionment

If more than one defendant may share responsibility (for example, a left-turning driver and a commercial vehicle driver, or a driver and an employer), South Carolina’s apportionment rules can become important.

South Carolina Code Section 15-38-15 addresses how fault percentages may be allocated and when joint and several liability does not apply to defendants under certain thresholds (with exceptions). South Carolina Legislature Online

Negligence per se (statute violation cases)

Insurance carriers often argue “technical violations don’t matter.” South Carolina cases repeatedly note that a statute violation can be treated as negligence per se, but the claimant still must prove causation (the violation actually caused the injury). South Carolina Judicial Branch

In left-turn cases, this is commonly raised with alleged violations of Section 56-5-2320 (failure to yield) or Section 56-5-2150 (signal/safe turning movement). South Carolina Legislature Online+1

Common disputes in South Carolina left-turn claims

“They had the right-of-way, but they still had a duty to watch.”

A frequent defense is: “I had the green light / I was going straight,” implying the oncoming driver had no responsibilities.

South Carolina opinions emphasize that having the right-of-way does not erase the general duty to keep a reasonable lookout and avoid hazards when possible. South Carolina Judicial Branch+1

This dispute often turns on whether the oncoming driver:

• was distracted,
• was speeding,
• could have braked or avoided impact with reasonable attention.

“Immediate hazard” arguments (distance and speed)

Section 56-5-2320 hinges on whether the oncoming vehicle was close enough to be an “immediate hazard.” South Carolina Legislature Online

That phrase fuels battles over:

• how fast the oncoming car was traveling,
• whether it was accelerating to “beat the light,”
• whether the left-turn driver had a reasonable gap.

Reconstruction evidence (skid marks, vehicle damage, event data recorders) can heavily influence this.

Obstructed view: “I couldn’t see, so I went.”

This comes up with:

• tall vehicles blocking sight lines,
• glare, rain, darkness,
• trees/signs/buildings near intersections.

South Carolina courts have treated “pulling out” when you know you cannot see oncoming traffic as conduct that can support a finding of negligence as a matter of law in the right circumstances.

In Janet Miller v. FerrellGas LP, the Supreme Court discussed stop/yield duties and explained that entering a favored roadway while knowing your view is obstructed can be negligence as a matter of law. South Carolina Judicial Branch

Protected arrow vs. permissive green

If the left-turning driver had a protected green arrow, fault analysis can change dramatically—but only if the arrow was actually green and the driver stayed within the protection of that signal.

If it was a permissive green, the turn is still generally a yield maneuver under Section 56-5-2320. South Carolina Legislature Online

Lane-choice and signal disputes

Insurers commonly argue:

• the left-turner didn’t signal (or signaled late),
• the left-turner turned from the wrong lane,
• the oncoming driver changed lanes in the intersection,
• a driver used the center lane incorrectly.

These issues frequently map onto Sections 56-5-2120 and 56-5-2150. South Carolina Legislature Online+1

Timing matters: the statute of limitations

For many injury cases, South Carolina’s general limitations period is three years, and the Code includes “discovery rule” language for certain personal injury actions.

See South Carolina Code Section 15-3-530 (Three years) and Section 15-3-535. South Carolina Legislature Online+1  Because limitation issues can be fact-sensitive, it’s smart to get legal advice quickly after a crash.

What to do after a left-turn crash

• Call 911 and request medical help if needed.
• Photograph vehicle positions, lane markings, signals (if visible), and sight obstructions.
• Get names and contact info for witnesses (they disappear fast).
• Ask how to obtain any intersection camera footage; some systems overwrite quickly.
• Be careful with recorded statements to insurers—stick to known facts.

Don’t Let the Insurance Company Decide Fault—Protect Your Claim Now

If you were injured in a left-turn accident in South Carolina, consider speaking with a qualified South Carolina personal injury attorney about how the right-of-way statutes, comparative fault rules, and available evidence apply to your situation.

Bringing your crash report, photos/videos, medical records, and witness information to that conversation can make the review far more productive.