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Roundabout collision - who is at fault? With diagram

368 replies

Notcheekyvimto · 18/02/2024 11:59

Involved in a collision today at a roundabout.

Both lanes go straight on. The left lane leads to a left turn only shortly afterwards hence lots of people use the right lane to go straight, road markings are clear both lanes permit going straight.

Left hand exit is a car park for a local park marked in green ‘park’.

Red car travels in the right lane to go straight on, indicates left and starts to pull off.

Blue car comes from the park and intends to turn straight or right, into the path of red car.

Red car brakes but cannot stop in time and blue car is damaged on the drivers side, red car on the passengers corner side.

Who is at fault?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
theilltemperedclavecinist · 18/02/2024 16:35

I once saw a similar accident on a large multi-lane light-controlled roundabout. Lanes 1 and 2 were dedicated to the next exit (motorway on-slip) and lane 3 was for continuing around the roundabout. When the lights turned green, front car in lane 1 side-barged front car in lane 2. I was behind the latter and just watched open-mouthed as both cars span off into the undergrowth...

PrinceYakimov · 18/02/2024 16:29

So was Blue trying to take the same exit lane as you OP, or were they going for the second exit (from their perspective)?

Rehoboam · 18/02/2024 16:29

I don't know what the chances are but I know this roundabout, I drive it often. You're not at fault in the slightest, blue car at fault.
Hope baby is ok.

Lilacanemone · 18/02/2024 16:28

Blue car is in the wrong unless it had come out when it was clear and red car was flying at a ridiculous speed and overtook it.

Combattingthemoaners · 18/02/2024 16:26

LetusandLoveit · 18/02/2024 16:18

Blue car comes from the park and intends to turn straight or right, into the path of red car.

Your explanation leaves a lot to be desired.

The blue car can't ' turn straight' (whatever that means.)
The blue car can't 'turn right' as the direction of travel at the roundabout is left only.

The blue car emerging from the park, should enter the nearside lane and filter into the traffic, by giving way to cars already on the roundabout.

Another pedantic MNer! Do you never get bored of it?

theilltemperedclavecinist · 18/02/2024 16:26

GasPanic · 18/02/2024 16:12

I am sure you didn't hit them on purpose. Very few people would want to given the costs involved !

Nearly all collisions don't happen on purpose. They happen because people make mistakes.

If it were me I would just chalk it up to experience. I know it's a pain because a similar thing has happened to me in the past and it costs money. People make mistakes sometimes and that is part of being human.

I just had to analyse what happened to me and learn from it and hopefully become a better driver as a result. Hopefully eventually you can see past it, although I realise it probably doesn't feel great at the moment and probably takes a few days to get a wider perspective on it.

How do you think Red could have avoided this collision? After all, exactly the same thing would have happened if Red and Blue had entered the roundabout side-by-side, started signalling immediately after the carpark exit, then Blue had a 'moment' and decided to dive off to the right, into the path of Red.

LetusandLoveit · 18/02/2024 16:24

See I was always taught you take the left lane of going straight ahead,

@ducksinarow123 You were taught wrongly.
You can use both lanes on a roundabout as long as you indicate. The outside lane is valid for anyone driving straight ahead, not just turning right.

It's shocking you are confused.

LetusandLoveit · 18/02/2024 16:21

Is the exit from the park beyond the roundabout? (So they have to turn left rather than drive onto the roundabout?)
Or can drivers access the roundabout?

LetusandLoveit · 18/02/2024 16:18

Blue car comes from the park and intends to turn straight or right, into the path of red car.

Your explanation leaves a lot to be desired.

The blue car can't ' turn straight' (whatever that means.)
The blue car can't 'turn right' as the direction of travel at the roundabout is left only.

The blue car emerging from the park, should enter the nearside lane and filter into the traffic, by giving way to cars already on the roundabout.

RhubarbGingerJam · 18/02/2024 16:17

OP get a dash cam for future - that would be my reflection.

LetusandLoveit · 18/02/2024 16:15

Notcheekyvimto · 18/02/2024 11:59

Involved in a collision today at a roundabout.

Both lanes go straight on. The left lane leads to a left turn only shortly afterwards hence lots of people use the right lane to go straight, road markings are clear both lanes permit going straight.

Left hand exit is a car park for a local park marked in green ‘park’.

Red car travels in the right lane to go straight on, indicates left and starts to pull off.

Blue car comes from the park and intends to turn straight or right, into the path of red car.

Red car brakes but cannot stop in time and blue car is damaged on the drivers side, red car on the passengers corner side.

Who is at fault?

The red car has priority.

I assume by the blue car 'turned right' you mean they wanted the right hand lane of the roundabout, and not driving the wrong way around the roundabout.

GasPanic · 18/02/2024 16:12

Notcheekyvimto · 18/02/2024 16:03

I didn’t try to smack into them on purpose? I really wished my day had started differently if it helps. If your post is true then why are there ever any car accidents?

Unfortunately I expect the reality is I’ll end up out of pocket regardless. I started to thread to consider how likely fault will be found by the insurer with the other driver so whether I should bother claiming for damage or just pay for it to be fixed when I can afford it. The car is still roadworthy. And that doesn’t btw mean I won’t inform my insurer of the accident, I know you can do so without putting in a claim yourself.

I am sure you didn't hit them on purpose. Very few people would want to given the costs involved !

Nearly all collisions don't happen on purpose. They happen because people make mistakes.

If it were me I would just chalk it up to experience. I know it's a pain because a similar thing has happened to me in the past and it costs money. People make mistakes sometimes and that is part of being human.

I just had to analyse what happened to me and learn from it and hopefully become a better driver as a result. Hopefully eventually you can see past it, although I realise it probably doesn't feel great at the moment and probably takes a few days to get a wider perspective on it.

BungleandGeorge · 18/02/2024 16:12

Blue didn’t drive into the side of red though. If they had it would be red with damage to their door. Technically red drove into the side of blue because the damage is on the front of their car and the side of blues. If the damage was at the front of both I think it would be judged blue fault

Prisonbreak · 18/02/2024 16:11

I honestly don’t think the lane layout matters at all. Blue car didn’t give way to the right at a roundabout. Blue car at fault

Onceuponaheartache · 18/02/2024 16:09

Technically the blue but I would put money on insurers insisting in 50/50

theilltemperedclavecinist · 18/02/2024 16:07

SinnerBoy · 18/02/2024 15:57

ffsgiveitarest · Today 14:55

photo of car park where blue car was coming out of

That makes it clear that blue was entirely in the wrong, they drove into the side of OP on the roundabout.

Actually they dived in front of OP. Who was signalling. It's crazy irrespective of the rules. But yes, give way to the right at and on roundabouts.

Hobbi · 18/02/2024 16:06

@Crazydoglady1980

"Have you read the Highway Code links?"

Yes. Nothing red did was contrary to the Highway Code. Please let me know how you think it is. In the meantime, stay off the roads.

Sausageplusmash · 18/02/2024 16:05

theilltemperedclavecinist · 18/02/2024 16:04

Tell me you don't know how roundabouts work. Without telling me you don't know how roundabouts work.

Exactly

theilltemperedclavecinist · 18/02/2024 16:04

Crazydoglady1980 · 18/02/2024 15:28

Red car is at fault as they crossed lanes when the lane wasn’t clear. It doesn’t matter that the blue car was indicating as this wasn’t seen at the time of the crash. The blue car could have been going straight on and was in the correct lane to do this

Edited

Tell me you don't know how roundabouts work. Without telling me you don't know how roundabouts work.

Notcheekyvimto · 18/02/2024 16:03

GasPanic · 18/02/2024 15:45

The problem is although people want to argue about the micro detail of navigating roundabouts, the reality is there is an overarching responsibility on all drivers to avoid collisions.

Just because someone does something crazy or against the rules in front of you does not then immediately give you licence to smack into them free of any blame. Not unless you have some sort of clear evidence to back up why a collision was completely unavoidable.

That's why IMO this will end up as a 50:50. It will be interesting to get a report back on what the outcome is.

I didn’t try to smack into them on purpose? I really wished my day had started differently if it helps. If your post is true then why are there ever any car accidents?

Unfortunately I expect the reality is I’ll end up out of pocket regardless. I started to thread to consider how likely fault will be found by the insurer with the other driver so whether I should bother claiming for damage or just pay for it to be fixed when I can afford it. The car is still roadworthy. And that doesn’t btw mean I won’t inform my insurer of the accident, I know you can do so without putting in a claim yourself.

OP posts:
BungleandGeorge · 18/02/2024 16:03

If you’ve breaked and still hit them on the drivers door they were in front of you, they had already passed the first exit. Either you were going quite fast or were slow to react. They must surely have turned onto the roundabout in front of you rather than at the side because you’d have collided nearer the front of their car if that was the case? I think the area of damage is goi g to point to 50:50 or possibly your fault

Sausageplusmash · 18/02/2024 16:02

Crazydoglady1980 · 18/02/2024 15:36

The blue car entered the roundabout in a clear lane and the red car then moved into this lane. The red car didn’t check it was clear before moving and should have gone round the roundabout again.
It would be different if the blue car had just entered the roundabout but they hadn’t, they were at the next exit. The red car crashed into the blue car.

You are and should be allowed to move left to exit because you should give way to anything on the roundabout regardless of what lane.
A lot of people would benefit from being forced to retake there driving test and theory tests it seems

Caroparo52 · 18/02/2024 16:01

Blue at fault. You give way to traffic on the right. Red car had priority on the roundabout

SinnerBoy · 18/02/2024 15:57

ffsgiveitarest · Today 14:55

photo of car park where blue car was coming out of

That makes it clear that blue was entirely in the wrong, they drove into the side of OP on the roundabout.

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