As Americans pile into cars for summer road trips, researchers are urging a surprisingly simple safety hack: Skip the left turns.

According to new insights from Penn State civil engineering professor Vikash Gayah, left-hand turns are involved in about 61% of all intersection crashes

That’s a big chunk of fender benders…and a lot of them are serious.

Gayah and other researchers say the problem comes down to timing. Drivers turning left often misjudge how much space they have before oncoming traffic barrels through. One wrong guess can mean a wreck.

Travel is booming this summer: Deloitte reports a noticeable uptick in road trips, Fox 32 Chicago shared. More cars on the road mean more chances for those risky left turns to go wrong.

Gayah’s research suggests cities could cut crash numbers by rethinking how drivers move through intersections.

One expert-level idea: Ban left turns entirely in downtown grids

It sounds dramatic, but cities like New York and San Francisco have already experimented with limiting or rerouting left turns in certain zones.

Drivers might have to go an extra block or take three rights to make the same move. But researchers say it doesn’t usually add much time. 

In fact, because left-turn restrictions simplify traffic light cycles, drivers often spend less time waiting at red lights. That can actually speed up trips, especially in dense city traffic.

The concept isn’t just academic, either.

UPS famously redesigned many of its delivery routes to avoid left turns

The company claims the move has saved time, fuel, and even lives.

For everyday drivers, it’s not about giving up left turns forever. But if you’re navigating a busy downtown or dealing with summer traffic on unfamiliar roads, taking the long way around might be the safer bet.

And hey, if it keeps you out of the ER and gets you to the beach a few minutes faster, what’s the downside?