Roundabout collision - who is at fault? With diagram

[Notcheekyvimto]

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?

It's not that shocking. Watch the video a few posts up. If an actual driving instructor and the bloke on the video find it confusing then it's obviously not as straightforward as you like to make out

Make sure you give your insurance company all the details. Draw detailed diagrams, go and take photos of the roundabout to send them etc. Leave them in no doubt that the other driver was at fault.

Definitely the blue car.

It’s going to be 50/50 unless there are witnesses.

The damage though indicates red changed lanes without checking as the point of impact at the top corner is going into blues drivers door.

I would say blue car is at fault for entering roundabout knowing it was wanting to go right when it wasn't clear. Even if the red car had observed the blue car i really don't see what the red car could have done to avoid the collision

It will only go 50/50 if the OP agrees to that happening. Otherwise she is at liberty to take this to court and argue her case, particularly if she has legal cover as part of her insurance.

I once had someone drift out of their lane and into mine on a roundabout, and collided with me. 100% his fault, but he swore blind it was my fault. There were no witnesses. His insurance company wanted to settle it 50/50. I said no way, let’s take this to court.

I had prepared my case. Took photos of the scene, drew detailed diagrams, taken photos of the damage to the side of my, and also the damage free front of my car (to disprove his version of events that I drove into him). I also explained that I was on my usual route home from work, and there was no reason I would be joining the roundabout from the direction he claimed I was. I also quoted a few things the driver had said to me that implied having accidents was a bit of a habit for him (‘My insurance company told me to call the police next time’)

As soon as a court day was set, the other insurance company suddenly agreed to pay 100% of my claim.

After that I bought a dash cam.

@Doris86 Well done for fighting and winning.
But in this case the damage proves that red drove into blue (and the OP has admitted that).

It’s (possibly) also going to send renewal into sky high amounts if you’re going against the advice your own company give.

If .either party accepts fault then no brainer. If no one
does likely 50/50 (without witness). The damage indicates red moved into blue and blues
insurers could argue that. Likely though they’ll weigh up the cost of repair and the cost of arguing it and say 50/50.

Does that now help prove that the blue car did pull out in front then?

My point is that presenting your evidence in a clear and concise way can make a big difference, even when there are no witnesses.

The other driver’s indicator is a red herring. You both needed to allow each other space and stopping distance, regardless of who was indicating to go where.

You’re right, but in truth insurers want the most cost effective result.

50/50 can be financially more viable than arguing the toss particularly when the insurance covers hire cars and repairs.

If the ducks are in a row though Damage in the right place/witness they will argue for a win.

I don’t think either of us are going to claim for any damages to that settles things!

Then I doubt they’d care, no cost to them.

Red car already on roundabout. Blue car at fault.

You have to give way to your right. The blue car is at fault

Blue. Didn't give way to the right, and ensure that their route was clear.

Know that roundabout very well and often do as you did, stay in the right lane to continue on straight further on. Blue car at fault here as you were already on the roundabout, the position of the exit from the park means you must have been right in front of them as they pulled out.

Just read your updates. Hope that you and the baby are OK.
Sadly, no matter what, even if you're completely innocent, you end up out of pocket. (I was rear-ended by a van, whilst I was stationary at traffic lights... still ended up a couple of hundred out of pocket, when you took time off work, and a physio assessment....)
Take care. Lots of utterly incompetent drivers on the road these days.

If the red car is indicating left when they pull off then the blue car is not expecting them to go straight on. However, despite incorrect indicating (or the fact people don’t even bother) the blue car should have seen the positioning of the red and hesitated.

Please ignore post above, have seen you have said you indicated left after the park. Blue firmly at fault. I don’t know why people are going on about lanes, you indicated correctly to come off, blue should
not be joining when there are cars coming round and should be giving way to the right. Blue should also have judged by your positioning that you were exiting and not carrying on round. Even if you were, they shouldn’t join on top of an incoming vehicle, they have cut you up. They clearly weren’t following the highway code as a PP keeps saying. I think you confused things by saying about blue indicating left, it suggests they were perhaps ahead of you in terms of you seeing it. People don’t seem to know how to use roundabouts. I get so annoyed with those who don’t bother to indicate or use the wrong lanes, mainly the left to go right.

Joining the blue car at fault brigade

Red car at fault. Both cars on the roundabout. Red car was changing lanes and was responsible for ensuring their way was clear.

Blue
Unless red indicated before passing the park/blue

The red car didn't change lanes. Stayed in the same lane that is marked to exit at that point.
The blue car changes lanes. If going straight on or right from the park they should drive across into the inner lane to continue round the round about.

As there are clearly two lanes on that exit the blue car should assume that the two lanes on the roundabout correspond to those....as they do.
OP was in the right hand lane and exiting in the right hand lane.