The driver of the vehicle turning left is often found at fault for a left-turn crash. This is because oncoming traffic has the right of way.
Under state law (Louisiana Revised Statute 32:122), drivers who are turning left within an intersection must yield to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction and are either within the intersection or close enough to be an immediate hazard.
Case law has also held that drivers who are turning left must use a high degree of care because they are doing something dangerous. That means the left-turning driver would have to prove he or she was not negligent, made the turn safely and the crash was caused by another driver.
Sometimes drivers speed up to make it through an intersection ahead of oncoming traffic. This is a bad idea because accidents are often more devastating when the vehicles involved are traveling faster. You may also be more likely to be found liable for the crash if you sped up. It makes it seem like you did not have enough time to make it through the intersection, which means you were negligent.