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?

When did red car start indicating left? Before or after the park entrance?

Yes lane discipline should be taken into account by blue car but if red was indicating into the park then it adds confusion.

Legally blue car at fault though.

Blue

Blue is at fault for not giving way to all on the roundabout before entering (this is if red was already on the roundabout).

If blue entered the roundabout first then red has to give way to all on the round about.

I think blue car more at fault but red car has contributed to it (even if not legally) by indicating left while pulling off to go straight on. Why would they do that? I imagine that confused the blue car but never trust a signal as my driving instructor told me.

If the blue car was going left, it would have been fine. It's the fact it is going straight on (or turning right) that places it firmly in the wrong as it's in the incorrect lane for that manoeuvre. So it has to wait until it can pull across into the correct lane.

When the red car indicated left could the blue car have thought red was indicating to go into the car park? Did red indicate too early?

My money is on the OP being blue car 😂

Almost certainly will go 50:50 on an insurance claim, it will just be a he says this happened, she says that happened. Did any witnesses stop? Did the police attend? Did you take pictures of where the cars ended up? If there is no real evidence insurance will take the easy way.

The true answer really depends on whether there is dashcam or witness evidence and what each party tells their insurer.

But on the basis of what is shown here, @Pegasusforme is the first to get towards the nub of it. It will likely go some level of split liability. The blue car is established in their lane at the point of collision so there is ineffective observation on the part of red before crossing the lane to exit. But blue has also had ineffective observation as they haven't taken into account the possible paths red might take and just assumed as lane 1 is clear it is safe to go.

What I can be sure of is, on a driving test, if the examiner had to step in to avoid this accident, you would fail as either car. Which to my mind makes it classic split liability.

What I can be sure of is, on a driving test, if the examiner had to step in to avoid this accident, you would fail as either car. Which to my mind makes it classic split liability.

very true

I’m the red car!

Forgot to add blue car was signalling left as well when hit but obviously didn’t turn left.

I drive this roundabout almost every day but the driver of the blue car said they don’t know the area and were confused about exits. Very frustrating as I expect it will end up being me out of pocket, I’m also 35 weeks pregnant and have ended up spending the morning in triage.

I use a similar roundabout & the vast majority of people stay left to come off on the 2nd (straight on) exit but it helps if you know the roads.

My driving instructor told me never to assume what other drivers are going to do.

The Blue car should not have presumed that the red car was going right, in fact, the red car was indicating their intention to leave the roundabout. Blue should have waited, and are at fault

50/50.

Blue car shouldn't have joined the roundabout while red car was on it, red car shouldn't have changed lanes while blue car was there.

@Notcheekyvimto just saw your update, sorry to hear that & hope your ok. I’ve learned the hard way to never rely on signalling, many do the opposite 🤬

I think it depends on the timing. If red car was already on the roundabout, positioned in the right hand lane in order to to continue to (legitimately) exit roundabout in same lane, then blue car definitely at fault for not waiting for red car to make its intentions clear before manoeuvring. If the blue car was already entering the roundabout when the red car suddenly appeared and cut across the blue car in order to exit the roundabout, then red car is at fault.

Oh, cross posted with your update!!

If you're approaching a roundabout where there are 2 lanes and you want to go right, you can't just pull out onto the left lane and then assume you can cut across into the right lane whenever you want!

Agree with all PPs saying the liability will probably be joint but I do think red car has more right to be annoyed than blue car. Red car driver is guilty of poor observation/checking but their manoeuvre is correct; blue car driver has effectively cut across red car.

I'm sorry as well OP, hope you are OK

Hope your'e ok OP! At least you can see the majority support you, so you know deep down you weren't at fault. The blue car was positioned to turn off and was indicating to turn off - you had no way to predict they weren't going to turn off!

Google Maps picture please?

I’d say blue for pulling out. Red should’ve made better observations though. Could be 50/50.

The blue car is at fault, even if the red car was going right the blue car still cut them up.

I hope you are ok OP, as often said on here you have to presume every other driver is stupid.

The blue car IMO but my guess is for insurance it will probably be a 50:50. The way in which the red car impacted the blue car indicates that they had some ability to see what what going to develop and stop it.

It normally takes two people to make an accident. That's why recent rule changes taking responsibility away from one party are the height of idiocy.

@Notcheekyvimto hope you’re ok. It must’ve been a nasty shock.

Blue was wrong. I think too once your are travelling on a roundabout your position should hold - people don't brake on roundabouts and come to a stop to let other cars drive past them. (Though obviously in an emergency you should)