Car accident.. who is at fault here?

[Greenleafants]

I am so stressed so bare with me. Going down the A1 but it’s a single carriageway and turning right into a little side road because I live there. I stop and start Indicating right as there is approaching traffic on other side of the road. I can see a white van approaching my rear at high speed but I still don’t want to turn as there is traffic coming very quickly on other side of road. Then I see a gap but I am really stressed at this point and I stall my car like an absolute fool. So embarrassed. Crash. He goes into the back of me and he was absolutely raging. His van is damaged worse than my car, I have some damage to my bumper but managed to drive home.. I’ll be found at fault for, won't I?

His fault. He went into the back of you when you were stationary. He should have slowed and anticipated an issue not pushed you to move but that won't even be part of the case. He didn't slow in time.

Basically, if someone goes into the back of you,whether you are moving ,stationery, or even doing something unexpected,like suddenly braking,then it's their fault.

It's horrible when someone shouts and is angry after an accident, and it can cause you to feel like you're in the wrong because they are vehemently blaming you.

You are not in the wrong here.
Let your insurers sort it.

Yeah, I indicated before stopping.

It is one of the few instances where it is always the person who goes into the back who is at fault, he should have been driving with enough attention and slow enough to not go into you, it doesn’t matter if you stall, drivers stall

It's his fault regardless what happened. When someone went into the back of us after I had to break sharply the police officer explained it's always their fault as you should leave enough space in case the car in front has to stop because a child is suddenly in the road or something.

If he thought you had time to turn, there was time for him to stop.

Only thing I would say is to make sure you indicate and begin to brake in good time to give drivers behind you a chance to stop. Not saying that you didn't, but sometimes inexperienced drivers don't think to give enough warning on faster roads.

Definitely his fault - no ifs, no buts.

He shouldn't be on the main road.

It doesn't matter if you stalled, it could have been a stop for any other reason such as a breakdown or person in the road.

The exact same thing happened to me with a Sixt rental car.

The car behind you is 100% at fault because he was too close to you.

DO NOT be bullied by him!

He’s at fault.

Yes he was expecting you to go, as we all would, but he didn’t leave enough stopping distance between you and himself to deal with the fact you didn’t.

Learn a lesson here from him OP: stopping distances are always important!

When you saw him coming at speed, did you sound your horn? I have a horrible right turn I have to make regularly on a country road which people speed down, and when I’m waiting to turn, I keep an eye half on the rear view. Anyone coming up too fast and not slowing and I will sound the horn to get them to pay attention. We get a lot of issues of van drivers using this road as a rat run and using their phones at the wheel. If I’m not sure they’ve seen me stationary in the road, then I’ll sound my horn. That’s what it’s for; to notify other driver’s of your presence.

But as to your question, this is 100% him. When you’re driving, you don’t make decisions on what someone in front of you should be doing, or what you think they should be doing. You make decisions on what they are actually doing. He kept his speed up because he thought you’d made the turn before he got there. He was wrong and he hit you. If he had driven to the conditions in front of him - a stationary car not yet moving, then he would have come up behind you at a crawl instead of at speed. It doesn’t matter that you stalled, if he didn’t have enough time to brake then he was coming too fast up behind a stationary car.

He should know that only a fool breaks the 2-second rule. You stay at least 2 seconds behind the person in front for precisely this reason.

Yes anyone going into the back of you is at fault.

This sums it up. It doesn’t really matter what you’ve done, because the driver behind should leave the correct space to brake fully.

The only way it’s the front car’s fault is if the car in front reverses into you!

Most definitely not your fault and never feel pressured into turning if it’s not safe to do so. Accidents are always stressful but please don’t worry, he sounds like an idiot and your insurance company will find him liable.

Definitely him at fault. He should have seen you were stopped in the carriageway and been prepared to stop.

Also, experienced drivers stall. You just get better at restarting the car quickly.

Absolutely his fault. Did you get his details?

100% his fault.
Don't stress about stalling, even the most experienced drivers stall sometimes, especially when under pressure. It wasn't your stalling that caused the accident, it was the van driver trying to drive through you!

He sounds like a knob, I know it's hard but try and ignore him. I've been driving 10 years and still stall sometimes! It's normal and one of those things that can't be helped. He was probably trying to intimidate you if he could sense you were nervous

As someone who has been in a few serious car accidents (all non fault), just give an honest account to your insurers and let them deal with it. And if you can, try and get behind the wheel again as soon as you feel ready. It can get harder the longer you leave it

He drove into the back of you so he's at fault.
I know it won't help you this time but consider getting a dash cam, it can even bring your I surance down a little so that helps too.

I've been driving since 1964 and still stall from time to time. No shame in that.

I did this OP. Drove into the back of someone entering a roundabout because they stalled. Totally my fault nonetheless.

Did you get his details?

It doesn't matter what he is expected you to do, thats not how driving works but, kindly, if you think that he could in any way be right maybe your confidence on the road needs to be boosted

His fault entirely. Even if someone emergency stopped on the motorway with a clear road in front and you went into the back of them it’s technically your fault for not leaving the appropriate stopping distance. Entirely his fault and his was trying to intimidate you as he was not watching the road when he hit you

This is such a silly comment - she didn't stall on purpose, it was an accident and one that could happen to even the most experienced of drivers.

He should have left room to stop and had no right to say what he said.

Stand firm op. It wasn't your fault. I was hit head on down a country lane on a bend when a van twat came round on the wrong side of the road.. He is still adamant it wasn't his fault. We are going to court... Accident was last June... Do not accept fault op.