Which driver at fault?

[Whostoblame]

I was witness to a small very low speed crash today and unsure who is to blame.

Car A - driving down a residential street
Car A stops as truck in road blocking way due to truck on right hand side blocking oncoming traffic lane. Checks and noone behind, car backs up and crashes into Car B

Car B - parked at side of road in parking bay, facing into incoming traffic. Car B pulls out and Car A hits it. No indicator used.

Im not sure who's at fault or whether there is partial fault on both sides and if so, how would insurance claims work?

Thanks

Doesn't sound like either were looking where they were going

I'd say A was at fault. B checked and the road was clear. Then A started reversing at them.

It’s about 50:50 though car B is mainly at fault for giving no indicator before making the move. Car A should have done it very slowly so they could judge hazards (car A in this case).
Again, it depends upon the timing too. If car A was already parallel to car B then B is definitely 100% at fault.

@Totickleamockingbird

It’s about 50:50 though car B is mainly at fault for giving no indicator before making the move. Car A should have done it very slowly so they could judge hazards (car A in this case). Again, it depends upon the timing too. If car A was already parallel to car B then B is definitely 100% at fault.

Good point. Did B hit the back of A's car, or the side?

Car B is at fault for 2 reasons:-

Firstly, the highway code says you should never park on the 'opposite' side of the road. If, as you say car B was facing the traffic, then they ere automatically in breach of the Highway Code for parking on the wrong side of the road.

Secondly, the car already on the highway automatically has priority over any car joining it. This is very broadly interpreted in insurance claims, so A could be doing pretty much anything they liked, if B pulled into their path, then B is at fault.

@Totickleamockingbird

It’s about 50:50 though car B is mainly at fault for giving no indicator before making the move. Car A should have done it very slowly so they could judge hazards (car A in this case). Again, it depends upon the timing too. If car A was already parallel to car B then B is definitely 100% at fault.

No, this isn't the case, B was joining the carriageway, so should have given way to traffic already on the carriageway, irrespective of what that traffic was doing.

As far as I see it, the fact that car A was reversing is irrelevant.

B pulled out without indicating or checking that the way was clear, and drove into car A.

@pumpertrumper has already answered from a position of knowledge!

I don't understand why driver A wasn't looking when reversing, what if a child had run into the road? You can't just look once then reverse blindly!!!

B was also driving badly.

I used to work in Motor Claims. There are rules on reversing as stated in the highway code. The onus is on the driver reversing to check and keep checking that the way is clear. Much would depend on where the damage on both vehicles are. Quite often I found that the car drivers statements/version of events fell apart when looking at the evidence.

Where was the impact point on car B?

Have a background in this area and would say both at fault but split would depend on impact point. In practice, most likely to settle at 50/50 as faster and cheaper that way

Thanks everyone :)

Car A is at fault.

I think Car A is at fault as they should be looking behind them when reversing. Also, we’re they reversing very quickly, so Car B didn’t have a chance to see them? Did Car B just peel their nose out and get clipped by A?

Either way, Car A is, l suspect, likely to be found at fault. Car B would expect be able to pull out into their own direction of traffic without a car reversing back down their lane.

Car b is at fault

So wrong. I've been driving 24 years. Unless point of impact is half way up car B, it's 50:50

If asked tell them what you saw leave insurance to make up their minds.

Did car A reverse and then stop before it hit car B?
Did both cars move at the same time?