Who is at fault here?

[Pray To Jesus]

Left turner's fault because right turner is oncoming traffic.

Think about the case if the right turner decided to go straight even though he has his right turn signal on. Light is yellow, so he's legally in the clear. Frontal collision with airbag against a left turner who clearly doesn't have the right of way. Claims medical problems, neck and chest pains. Collect easy insurance $$$.

You wouldn't want to be easy insurance money, it will make you feel like a chump.

 

[Howard]

Also, why did the cars collide?

99% of the time, either car would have slammed their brakes.
Since they were going <10mph, they would have stopped instantly... avoiding the crash.

One or both cars swung over into the lane adjacent to their nearest one.

 

[1234555aaa]

good drawing...

 

[sourn]

Easy both are at fault.

Yellow does not mean go, it means stop unless you cannot safely do so. It's there to clear the intersection before the red light. And you can get a ticket for going through them.

Then add onto the fact both went over their respective lines, again both at fault.

 

[Soundmanred]

This exact situation happened to my sister 4-5 years ago in Bellingham.
She was waiting in the intersection to turn left and tried to get through the intersection before it turned red and hit a car turning onto the same street.
They basically told her "you're not supposed to sit in the intersection and wait for it to clear to turn".
She argued that you had to do it to make a left turn at that intersection. And was told again "you're not supposed to sit in the intersection and wait for it to clear to turn".

 

[NoCreativity]

Here is my take on the scenario based on drawing and experience. Light turns yellow. Right turner (RT) starts slowing down. Left turner (LT) takes it as queue that he will stop at light so he begins his left. RT had no intention of stopping, just slowing to make the turn and decides to continue with it even though he sees LT is already making his turn. If diagram is accurate then RT should have had plenty of time to yield right-of-way to LT avoiding the accident.

I agree that right turn has right-of-way over left turn and LT should have waited for RT to turn or stop, but even the person without ROW has a responsibility to keep their car under control and avoid an accident even if it means ceding ROW.