Jackson County, MO (July 6, 2026) – Two young children and a 25-year-old woman were hurt in a two-vehicle crash on westbound US-40 near Bellemere Road in Jackson County on Saturday, July 4. The collision was reported at 3:10 p.m.
A Volkswagen Atlas attempted to make a left turn from the right lane into a private drive and crossed into the path of a westbound Cadillac SRX traveling in the left lane. The Cadillac veered off the left side of the roadway and came to rest in a ditch. The Volkswagen became disabled and blocked the left lane.
A 3-year-old girl and a 4-year-old girl riding in the Cadillac both sustained minor injuries. The Cadillac’s driver, a 25-year-old woman, also suffered minor injuries and was taken to Centerpoint Medical Center. The 55-year-old man driving the Volkswagen was not hurt in the wreck.
The accident remains under active review. We hope all three people hurt make full recoveries.
What Are the Risks of Making a Left Turn Across Traffic From the Wrong Lane?
Turning left from a right lane across multiple lanes of traffic is one of the more dangerous maneuvers a driver can attempt on a multi-lane road. Vehicles in the left lane are traveling at higher speeds and may not anticipate a car cutting across from the right side. The crossing vehicle must clear a longer path while monitoring traffic from multiple directions simultaneously, leaving a narrow margin for error.
When a vehicle is forced off the road into a ditch after a sudden lane intrusion, occupants face a secondary risk from the vehicle’s movement over uneven terrain. Young children in car seats can still sustain minor injuries from the lateral force and sudden stop involved, even when proper restraints are in use. Ditch impacts can also cause vehicles to tip or roll, depending on the terrain’s slope and depth.
Private drive entrances on higher-speed rural and suburban roads are recognized as a crash-prone point for turning vehicles. Drivers approaching a turn into a private entrance must judge gaps in traffic across multiple lanes, which becomes more difficult as road speed increases. Left turns across oncoming lanes are consistently among the most studied maneuvers in traffic safety research.
