Guess what? They’re not!
The center turning lane is there for a reason
Turning lanes exist on roadways from Pinellas County’s own Gulf Blvd to London’s Oxford St. These areas of the roadway exist to help traffic flow and minimize potential fender benders.
When you decide to straddle the roadway and turning lane you are creating a dangerous situation for the drivers behind you. The car directly behind you is anticipating you to fully enter the turn lane. When you don’t they end up having to slam their brakes on. This creates the perfect circumstances to create a collision in multiple ways. For one, they could rear end you.
So then, what can be done to prevent your collision causing, careless driving lane straddling?

Prevent Center Turn Lane Related Collisions
U-Turns: The simple solution here is to wait until you find an area wide enough to allow you to complete your U-turn from within the turning lane. If such an opportunity is not available, simply make the next available left turn and either circumnavigate back to your course.
Lost Driving: Get out of the left lane all-together. Make the next available right hand turn, check your GPS from a side street or parking lot and then return to your course with the needed knowledge to safely proceed to your destination. Never stop to check directions in a turning lane. You will again be putting other drivers at risk by doing so.
By the way, coming to a stop while straddling the roadway and turning line is in fact, against the law.
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