Contesting a Left-Turn Citation After a Motorcycle Collision

Attorney Answer

Do not admit responsibility just because you cannot prove what the motorcycle did — you are not the one who carries the burden here, and this ticket is probably not the only thing riding on the decision.

The rule you were cited under is MCL 257.650. The driver of a vehicle within an intersection intending to turn left must yield the right of way to a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction that is within the intersection or so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. The half people forget is the next one: having yielded and signaled, the left-turning driver may complete the turn, and oncoming drivers must then yield to him. So the rule is not "the left-turning driver is always at fault." If you looked, the left lane was clear, you began a lawful turn, and a motorcycle then moved out of the right lane into the left lane and into your path mid-turn, that is precisely the situation the second half of the statute addresses. A violation is a civil infraction.

At a hearing on a civil infraction, the officer has to establish the violation — you do not have to prove the motorcyclist changed lanes. From your description the officer arrived after the crash, which means his account rests largely on what other people told him and on the physical evidence. That is a real weakness, and you exploit it by asking questions at the hearing, not by producing proof of your own.

Before you decide anything, think about what sits behind the ticket. A T-bone involving a motorcycle often means injuries, and an injured rider may bring a claim against you. How fault gets characterized affects your insurer, your premium, and your points, and a serious-injury claim is no longer a traffic-ticket problem. If the rider was hurt, this warrants a lawyer.

On leniency: many Michigan district courts will consider a reduced or lower-point disposition, but that is negotiated with the prosecutor or through a lawyer at a hearing. You give up that opportunity entirely if you simply pay the ticket, because paying is an admission of responsibility.

What you can do

1. Read the citation and note the response deadline printed on it. Paying it is not a neutral act — it is an admission of responsibility. 2. Contest the citation and request a hearing before that deadline. 3. Request the officer's crash report, and ask whether body-cam or dash-cam footage exists, what the motorcyclist stated, and whether any independent witnesses were identified. 4. Look for evidence that exists even though you did not gather it: nearby business or doorbell cameras, the resting positions and diagram in the crash report, the damage pattern on the motorcycle, and the point of impact on your car. Where you were struck tells a story about where the bike came from. 5. Report the crash to your own insurer promptly and open your no-fault claim for your own injuries and vehicle damage. 6. If the motorcyclist was injured, talk to a Michigan lawyer before the hearing, and ask about points reduction at the same time. 7. Do not contact the motorcyclist, and do not post about the crash anywhere.

⏱ Time limits apply. A citation for a violation such as MCL 257.650 carries a response deadline printed on the ticket itself, and missing it can produce a default finding of responsibility and a hold on your license. The exact date depends on your citation — read it and go by what it says.