Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Crash! Boom! Bang! - Car accident, who's at fault?

491 replies

NothingOnButTheRadio · 26/10/2020 16:36

Had a car accident earlier. Wondering what your thoughts are.

Car A had slowed down to turn into the first road on the right and was indicating.

Car B was turning left .

Not unusual to have a steady stream of traffic (lights further up the road.

Car A began turning. Car B ploughed into the side of Car A. Both drivers accusing the other. Both vehicles I'd think are write-offs.

Obligatory drawing - yes, I'm shit at drawing!

Car A

Crash! Boom! Bang! - Car accident, who's at fault?
OP posts:
purplebunny2012 · 27/10/2020 17:28

Car B completely at fault. Both care should have been able to complete their manoeuvres at the same time with no hitting each other. Driver B seriously has a problem if they can't stay on their side of the road

Leedsfan247 · 27/10/2020 17:29

There is no debate here even if the driver of car A was blind drunk. Car B has to give way from the side turning even if car A wasn’t indicating. An indication is exactly that you can assume they will be turning just because of a signal.

purplebunny2012 · 27/10/2020 17:31

Sorry, I misread and thought A was turning into the same road B was leaving.
It's still B. They should have waited for A to finish their manoeuvre because they have to give way

Rainbowsparkle · 27/10/2020 17:33

Car b is at fault

Localocal · 27/10/2020 17:34

Car already on the road has priority over car entering the road, so car A is in the right, unless car B moved first and was already on the road when car A started turning. In that case car B is in possession of the oncoming lane and car A should have waited.

Justforphoto · 27/10/2020 17:36

@purplebunny2012

Car B completely at fault. Both care should have been able to complete their manoeuvres at the same time with no hitting each other. Driver B seriously has a problem if they can't stay on their side of the road
I'll think you'll find that car B was on it's own side of the road, Car A was crossing their lane to get to a different side road.
SewingBeeAddict · 27/10/2020 17:36

Pretty obvious car A should have waited as it was hit crossing a main road!

CitizenClem · 27/10/2020 17:37

There is no debate here...

After 13 pages, I beg to differ

Loopey007 · 27/10/2020 17:37

Car B. That’s why it pays to get a dash cam. You can pick them up really cheap these days - if your not at fault you have proof

Leaspr · 27/10/2020 17:40

Car B is at fault as Car A is coming off the main road.

exaltedwombat · 27/10/2020 17:41

If B turned the corner AFTER A had started turning right, it's probably B's fault. If both happened at once, it's a moot point. Could be considered a literal 'accident'. Not solely caused by either driver but one that both could have avoided by paying better attention. I'm afraid this is going to be seen as a classic knock-for-knock. Unless either party wants to call in an expensive lawyer - a verdict can often be bought in this way.

MJMG2015 · 27/10/2020 17:43

Just a bump (excuse the pun) as there are some insurance assessors on MN.

Clearly B was in the wrong.

I hope you make a good recovery.

nokidshere · 27/10/2020 17:45

@howaboutchocolate great diagram

Exactly right. In order for car A to have been hit on the passenger side whilst turning right car B would have had to have already turned onto the main road.

Clymene · 27/10/2020 17:46

Car B. Car B's driver was looking for traffic coming from right and didn't look to their left to see if there was any obstruction before pulling out.

Car B is very lucky they didn't injure any passengers in car A

SewingBeeAddict · 27/10/2020 17:50

@Clymene

Car B. Car B's driver was looking for traffic coming from right and didn't look to their left to see if there was any obstruction before pulling out.

Car B is very lucky they didn't injure any passengers in car A

I think Car A pulled across after Car B had turned. Otherwise car A would have been across and not hit.
WendyE · 27/10/2020 17:57

Car B may be perceived to be the one at fault, although if Car A cut the corner, then it would be knock-for-knock.

Clymene · 27/10/2020 17:57

Not if he put his foot down to pull out on a busy road.

I used to work with a bloke who was in a very serious accident because he was overtaking on a single lane road (ie driving in the wrong side of the road) and a woman pulled out of a side road, not looking in both directions.

The police said she was at fault because she was coming from a side road and he was on the main road.

duggeeismynewbestfriend · 27/10/2020 17:59

Car b

Moving from a minor into a major road responsibility is on the emerging vehicle

Nomad2009 · 27/10/2020 18:02

Your description of the accident and the drawing don't match. If car B was already on the main road, and moving towards car A, then car A should have waited to turn as by doing so it has cut up car B

TabbyStar · 27/10/2020 18:06

If the roads were only 3m apart as the OP said, the van at 4m+ length would barely have been on the main road before hitting A.

Clymene · 27/10/2020 18:06

If the OP had pulled across after she'd seen him on the road, he wouldn't have hit the side of her car. She was already turning when he pulled out

purplebunny2012 · 27/10/2020 18:17

@Fizzydrinks123

Car B has right of way to join the lane of traffic on the main road as it does not involve crossing the carriageway and is a natural turn and can move off at speed.

Car A should have sat still until all oncoming traffic that has right of way has passed, that includes Car B whom she can see is about to join from the side road.

I have sat in this situation and always waited for the traffic I've seen will pull out from the side road as it is their side of the road they are joining and their natural right of way - I would have to cross the carriageway and get in their way potentially.

The child angle is irrelevant as the driver is always to blame in that instance even if the child runs directly out in front of the car with no warning. The assumption is to drive at a safe speed to stop safely to avoid pedestrian.

With cars - both will be in charge of a powerful engine and one is likely to be more wrong than the other in their anticipation/reaction to the other. I doubt any pedestrian would have crossed the road noticing ahead a car about to pull from a side road and join the main road anyway. However, Car A thought they could squeeze round, didn't have right of way though.

I disagree with your 2nd paragraph if I am turning into a road, I'm only looking for traffic that's already on the site in crossing. It's ridiculous (and holds up traffic behind) to wait for people joining the road. Anything could stop them (I stalled turning just yesterday). If nothing is coming, I am going
SewingBeeAddict · 27/10/2020 18:18

@Nomad2009

Your description of the accident and the drawing don't match. If car B was already on the main road, and moving towards car A, then car A should have waited to turn as by doing so it has cut up car B
Agree. It doesnt make sense at all. Op clearly chanced it as she said he wasnt indicating. Why would you risk pulling across if you didnt know what he was going to do? Van B had priority turning onto a main road. Car A was turning across a main road into a side road. Since when do cars stop on a main road to allow others to cross-they dont!
KrisAkabusi · 27/10/2020 18:27

I'm sorry you're injured, but you, Car A, are at fault. Particularly after this update:

I was trickling forward - it's a done thing as it's a busy road. He would've seen this, and my early indicator

Trickling forward is dangerous. What it means is that you give up control of your actions, drive across oncoming traffic and rely on them NOT to hit you. You didn't stop and just drove into the turn, despite oncoming traffic.

AdobeWanKenobi · 27/10/2020 18:28

@TabbyStar

If the roads were only 3m apart as the OP said, the van at 4m+ length would barely have been on the main road before hitting A.
In which case I’d again question if this happened how on earth did OP sustain such severe injuries from a van crashing into the passenger side of what we can assume was a pretty hefty SUV.

Agree. It doesnt make sense at all

Not in the slightest.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.