Left-Turn Accidents in Nevada: Who Is at Fault?

Left-turn crashes are some of the most serious collisions at Las Vegas intersections, because they are often side impacts at speed. Nevada Traffic Safety Crash Facts (June 2026) reports that intersection crashes accounted for 33% of Nevada traffic deaths from 2020 to 2024. When a turning car and an oncoming car collide, the first question is who had the right of way.

Who has the right of way in a Nevada left turn?

Usually the oncoming driver. NRS 484B.253 says a driver turning left within an intersection must yield to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction that is within the intersection or so close to it as to be an immediate hazard.

The same statute has a second half that people often miss. Once the turning driver has yielded and given the required signal, the turning driver may make the turn, and drivers approaching from the opposite direction must yield to the turning vehicle. So the question is not only "who was turning." It is whether the oncoming car was close enough to be an immediate hazard when the turn began.

What changes with a flashing yellow arrow?

A flashing yellow arrow allows a left turn, but it does not give you the right of way. Under NRS 484B.307(7), a driver facing a flashing yellow arrow may turn only after yielding to pedestrians and other traffic lawfully in the intersection.

A green arrow is different. It protects the turn, and oncoming traffic should be facing a red light. A flashing yellow arrow means you are turning through a gap in traffic, and the duty to judge that gap is yours.

What if a driver ran a yellow or red light?

Then that driver may carry much of the fault. Under NRS 484B.300(1), every driver must obey traffic-control devices. A steady yellow warns that the green is ending, and a driver must not enter the intersection when red is shown (NRS 484B.307(6)).

A steady red means stop and remain stopped until the signal turns green, with a right turn on red allowed only after a full stop and with a duty to yield (NRS 484B.307(8)). Many left-turn crashes happen at the end of a light cycle. The turning driver finishes the turn as the signal changes, and an oncoming driver speeds up to beat the red. Signal timing and video often decide who is telling the truth.

What about stop signs, yield signs, and driveways?

The same yield principle applies. At an intersection with a stop or yield sign, a driver must stop or yield and then give the right of way to vehicles on the through road that are in the intersection or close enough to be an immediate hazard (NRS 484B.257). A driver entering or crossing a road from a private way, such as a parking lot or driveway, must yield to all vehicles approaching on that road (NRS 484B.260).

Left turns out of shopping centers and casino driveways onto busy streets fall under that driveway rule. The driver pulling out has the duty to wait for a safe gap.

How can the oncoming driver share fault?

By speeding, running a light, or not paying attention. Nevada uses comparative negligence, so fault is divided in percentages rather than all or nothing. Under NRS 41.141, an injured driver recovers as long as their fault is not greater than the combined fault of the defendants, and the award is reduced by their percentage.

Here is how that plays out, with illustrative numbers:

• Turning driver 30%, speeding oncoming driver 70%: The turning driver is injured, and a jury awards $100,000. That award reduced by 30% is $70,000.
• Turning driver 60%, oncoming driver 40%: The turning driver's fault is greater than the defendant's, so the turning driver recovers nothing from that driver. The oncoming driver can still recover, reduced by 40%.
• Oncoming driver ran a red light: If the evidence shows the light was red for the oncoming driver, most or all of the fault can shift to that driver.

Our article on Nevada comparative negligence explains the rule in more detail.

What evidence decides a left-turn case?

Evidence that shows the signal, the speed, and the timing. Most of it belongs to someone else and does not last long, so it has to be requested quickly.

• Intersection and business cameras: gas stations, stores, and casinos near an intersection often record the street. Many systems record over footage within days.
• Dashcams: yours, the other driver's, and those of drivers who stopped.
• Witnesses: especially drivers who were stopped at the light and saw its color.
• Signal timing records: the agency that runs the signal may have records of its timing plan, which help show what each driver faced.
• Vehicle data: many vehicles store speed and braking data from the seconds before a crash.
• The crash report: our Las Vegas car accident report guide explains how to request it.

What if a pedestrian was in the crosswalk?

The turning driver must watch for them. A left turn often crosses a crosswalk, and a driver looking for a gap in oncoming traffic can miss a person on foot. Under NRS 484B.307(7), a flashing yellow arrow requires yielding to pedestrians lawfully in the intersection. Pedestrians hurt by turning vehicles can bring their own claims. See our Las Vegas pedestrian accident lawyer page.

Which Las Vegas intersections see the most serious crashes?

Several large arterial intersections come up again and again. In September 2025, FOX5 reported that LVMPD listed Charleston and Decatur first among 12 intersections targeted for special enforcement. Our Las Vegas car crash data page breaks down roads, intersections, and times of day from federal crash records.

What should you do if fault is disputed?

Act before the evidence is gone. Write down what the signal showed, get witness contacts, and ask nearby businesses to keep their video. Do not agree with an adjuster's description of the crash on a recorded call. If the other side says you turned into their path, a Las Vegas car accident lawyer can gather the signal and video evidence. At Sellouk Law, you work directly with Roey, and we fight for maximum recovery. No attorney fees unless we recover for you. Court costs and litigation expenses may apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

I turned left on a green light with no arrow and got hit. Am I automatically at fault?

No. You had to yield to oncoming traffic that was an immediate hazard, but if you yielded, signaled, and began the turn when it was safe, oncoming drivers had to yield to you under NRS 484B.253. The oncoming driver's speed and attention matter.

Does a flashing yellow arrow give me the right of way?

No. It allows the turn only after you yield to pedestrians and other traffic lawfully in the intersection, under NRS 484B.307(7).

The other driver was speeding. Does that help my claim?

It can. Speed affects whether the oncoming car was an immediate hazard when you began the turn and can shift a share of the fault to that driver under NRS 41.141.

Can I recover anything if I was mostly at fault?

Not from the other driver if your fault is greater than the combined fault of the defendants. NRS 41.141 bars recovery in that case. If your fault is equal or less, you recover a reduced amount.

How fast do I need to get video of the crash?

As fast as possible. Many business and traffic camera systems record over footage within days, so send requests right away.

How long do I have to file after a left-turn crash?

Two years from the crash for injury claims under NRS 11.190(4)(e), and 3 years for damage to your vehicle under NRS 11.190(3)(c).

See also: who is at fault in a rear-end crash in Nevada and what to do after a car accident in Las Vegas.