Dallas U-Turn Accident Attorneys · 30+ Years

Dallas U-Turn Accident Lawyer

Hit by a driver making an illegal U-turn in Dallas? Texas Transportation Code §545.101 prohibits U-turns where unsafe, at posted no-U-turn locations, on curves or grades, and in any location where the driver's view is obstructed. The U-turn driver has the duty to yield to oncoming traffic — and CR-3 Code 50 (Made U-Turn) routinely establishes liability. Free consultation, no fee unless we win.

★ 5.0 on 483+ Google reviews $100 Million+ recovered Super Lawyers® · AVVO 10.0

(817) 784-2000 Free Consultation

Free Case Consultation

No Obligation — No Cost Unless We Win

Dallas U-turn accident law — quick answers

Governing statute? Tex. Transp. Code §545.101 — prohibits unsafe U-turns and posted no-U-turn locations.
U-turn driver's duty? Yield to oncoming traffic close enough to be an immediate hazard.
CR-3 code? Code 50 (Made U-Turn) frequently appears in contributing-factor field of at-fault driver.
Comparative fault? 50% or less under §33.001 — damages reduced by your fault percentage.
Damages? Medical (§41.0105), lost wages, pain and suffering, impairment, disfigurement; exemplary damages under §41.003 in gross-negligence cases.
Statute of limitations? Two years under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.003.

Why illegal U-turn cases turn on the statute and the CR-3

A Dallas U-turn crash is almost always a clear liability case once the legal framework is applied. Texas Transportation Code §545.101 sets out four scenarios where a U-turn is illegal: (a) where prohibited by official traffic-control device; (b) anywhere the driver cannot see approaching traffic from a sufficient distance; (c) on a curve, on the crest of a grade, or where the driver's view is obstructed for 500 feet in either direction; and (d) where the U-turn driver fails to yield to other traffic close enough to constitute an immediate hazard.

The U-turn driver's duty under §545.101(d) is the affirmative duty to yield to oncoming traffic that is close enough to be an immediate hazard. Even on roads where U-turns are not specifically prohibited, attempting one into oncoming traffic that has the right of way is a statutory violation that supports negligence per se when it caused the crash.

In Dallas, common U-turn-crash locations include the Greenville Avenue corridor (Lower Greenville and East Dallas), Lemmon Avenue through Oak Lawn, Northwest Highway, Mockingbird Lane near Highland Park, Preston Road, Inwood Road, and the Spur 366 (Woodall Rodgers) ramp transitions. Highway median crossovers on US-75, I-35E, I-635, and the Dallas N Tollway produce a separate U-turn pattern — drivers attempting illegal U-turns through median crossovers create catastrophic head-on or side-impact crashes.

Common Dallas U-turn crash patterns

Side-impact (T-bone) crashes. The U-turning vehicle is struck broadside by oncoming traffic. Common at urban arterial intersections with painted left-turn pockets.
Head-on at median crossovers. A driver attempting to U-turn through a highway median is struck head-on by oncoming traffic. Catastrophic-injury pattern on Dallas N Tollway, PGBT, and I-635.
Rear-end crashes during the U-turn. A driver attempting a U-turn from the rightmost lane is struck by following traffic that did not anticipate the maneuver.
Motorcycle T-bones. A U-turning driver fails to see a motorcycle in oncoming traffic. Motorcycle riders are particularly vulnerable to T-bone impact.
Pedestrian and bicycle strikes. A U-turning driver crossing a sidewalk or crosswalk strikes a pedestrian. Tex. Transp. Code §552.003 (pedestrian right-of-way) also applies.
Construction-zone U-turns. Drivers attempting illegal U-turns at TxDOT work zones to bypass closures. Combined §545.101 + §545.157 (construction zone) violations.

Texas U-turn law — the framework

Illegal U-turn (§545.101)

Tex. Transp. Code §545.101 prohibits U-turns where prohibited by signage, where view is obstructed, on curves or crests of grades, and where the U-turn would interfere with other traffic.

Lane usage (§545.060)

Even when the U-turn itself is permitted, the maneuver must comply with §545.060 lane-use requirements — a U-turn from the wrong lane is still a violation.

Reckless driving (§545.401)

U-turns through highway medians or against oncoming traffic in high-speed corridors can rise to reckless driving under §545.401 — a Class B misdemeanor that supports gross-negligence pleadings.

Two-year statute of limitations (§16.003)

Two years from the date of the crash. Government-vehicle claims may have six-month notice under §101.101.

Modified comparative fault (§33.001)

51% bar — you can recover as long as you were 50% or less at fault. Damages reduced by fault percentage.

Paid or incurred medicals (§41.0105)

Limits medical-bill recovery to amounts actually paid or incurred.

Exemplary damages (§41.003)

Available on clear and convincing evidence of gross negligence. Highway-median U-turns, U-turns into oncoming motorcycle traffic, and U-turns under impairment all support gross-negligence pleadings.

Stowers leverage

When the at-fault carrier refuses a reasonable within-limits demand on a serious-injury U-turn case, the Texas Stowers doctrine exposes the insurer to excess-judgment liability.

Where Dallas U-turn cases are heard

Dallas County District Courts

George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Dallas. The 14th, 44th, 68th, 95th, 101st, 116th, 134th, 160th, 162nd, 191st, 192nd, 193rd, 298th, and 330th District Courts handle the civil docket.

Surrounding counties

Collin (McKinney), Denton (Denton), Tarrant (Fort Worth), Ellis (Waxahachie). Venue under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §15.002 is typically where the crash occurred.

Federal court (N.D. Tex.)

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. Diversity jurisdiction common in commercial-vehicle U-turn cases.

Expedited actions (TRCP 169)

For cases under $250,000. Most catastrophic-injury U-turn cases filed at the higher tier.

Other Dallas car accident cases we handle

Common questions from Dallas U-turn accident clients

When is a U-turn illegal in Texas?

Texas Transportation Code §545.101 governs U-turns. A U-turn is illegal anywhere it is posted prohibited (no-U-turn signs), in any location where the driver cannot make the turn safely without interfering with other traffic, on a curve, near the crest of a grade where the driver's vehicle cannot be seen from 500 feet in either direction, or where local ordinance prohibits. Many Dallas intersections have explicit no-U-turn signage; many others are illegal under the safety provisions even without signage.

How do I prove the U-turn was illegal?

The responding officer's CR-3 crash report often identifies the U-turn as a contributing factor — particularly Code 50 (Made U-Turn). We pull intersection signage photos, traffic-camera footage if available, the at-fault driver's deposition testimony, and witness statements. Sight-line photographs taken from the at-fault driver's approach lane often establish whether the U-turn driver could see oncoming traffic.

What if the U-turn driver claims the other vehicle was speeding?

Even if the oncoming vehicle was over the limit, the U-turning driver still has the duty to yield to oncoming traffic that is close enough to constitute an immediate hazard under §545.101(d). Speed alone does not excuse a U-turn into oncoming traffic. Comparative fault under §33.001 may apportion some fault to the speeding driver, but Texas's 51% bar means the injured plaintiff can still recover as long as they were 50% or less at fault.

What damages can I recover after a Dallas U-turn crash?

Past and future medical expenses (subject to §41.0105 paid-or-incurred), lost wages and loss of earning capacity, property damage, past and future pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical impairment, disfigurement, and loss of consortium. Exemplary damages under §41.003 are available if the U-turn driver was also impaired or showed gross negligence. Most U-turn crashes involve side-impact (T-bone) configurations that produce serious orthopedic and traumatic-brain injuries.

What about U-turns on Texas highways and tollways?

Texas highways (US-75, I-35E, I-635, Dallas N Tollway) prohibit U-turns by design. A driver who attempts a U-turn across a highway median or through a crossover is in violation of §545.101 and often §545.060 (lane usage) and §545.401 (reckless driving). These cases often support exemplary-damage pleadings under §41.003 because the conduct rises to gross negligence.

Where are Dallas U-turn cases heard?

Most Dallas County civil cases at the George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Dallas. The 14th, 44th, 68th, 95th, 101st, 116th, 134th, 160th, 162nd, 191st, 192nd, 193rd, 298th, and 330th District Courts handle the civil docket. Surrounding counties (Collin, Denton, Tarrant) at their respective courthouses. Federal cases at the N.D. Tex. Dallas Division.

How much does it cost to hire Patterson Law Group?

Nothing up front. We take Dallas U-turn cases on contingency. We advance investigation, expert, and litigation costs out of pocket. Free consultation, no obligation. Se habla español.

Hit by an illegal U-turn in Dallas? Talk to a trial lawyer today.

Texas firm with 30+ years experience · Free consultation · No fee unless we win · Available 24/7 · Se habla español

(817) 784-2000 Free Case Review