Page 7 | Car crash on roundabout - who’s at fault?

Croakymccroakyvoice · 13/11/2025 20:33

This is my understanding. Looking at the picture below, the green route on the left is a queue of traffic with a gap at the exit on the left to allow cars to pass through and continue around the roundabout. Car X (OP) was following the green route on the right. Car Y came through the gap and hit Car X, which at that point was still driving in the right hand lane.

Car crash on roundabout - who’s at fault?

ThesebeautifulthingsthatIvegot · 13/11/2025 20:43

Croakymccroakyvoice · 13/11/2025 20:33

This is my understanding. Looking at the picture below, the green route on the left is a queue of traffic with a gap at the exit on the left to allow cars to pass through and continue around the roundabout. Car X (OP) was following the green route on the right. Car Y came through the gap and hit Car X, which at that point was still driving in the right hand lane.

Lovely diagramming.

Silvers11 · 13/11/2025 20:44

Croakymccroakyvoice · 13/11/2025 20:33

This is my understanding. Looking at the picture below, the green route on the left is a queue of traffic with a gap at the exit on the left to allow cars to pass through and continue around the roundabout. Car X (OP) was following the green route on the right. Car Y came through the gap and hit Car X, which at that point was still driving in the right hand lane.

That makes it clearer when I read the original post again. Thank You. Still don't understand how BOTH passengers sides were damaged - one front and one back though, but guess it must be possible!

GrooveArmada · 13/11/2025 20:49

Car Y. I drive through a similar roundabout almost daily, OP, also approach on the right lane and honestly the amount of people coming from the left not looking properly is crazy!

GrooveArmada · 13/11/2025 20:50

Silvers11 · 13/11/2025 20:44

That makes it clearer when I read the original post again. Thank You. Still don't understand how BOTH passengers sides were damaged - one front and one back though, but guess it must be possible!

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I think Car Y hit the back of OP's car on the passenger side (with car Y's front passenger side).

BadgernTheGarden · 13/11/2025 20:50

Roundabouts often go 50:50 but you should give way to traffic already on the roundabout on your right. I don't understand your description, queuing cars, long journeys and black cars are irrelevant you still obey the rules of the road. If someone was pushing across a stationary queue to get into the roundabout it may well be found to be their fault.

GrumpyMenopausalWombWielder · 13/11/2025 20:59

Croakymccroakyvoice · 13/11/2025 20:33

This is my understanding. Looking at the picture below, the green route on the left is a queue of traffic with a gap at the exit on the left to allow cars to pass through and continue around the roundabout. Car X (OP) was following the green route on the right. Car Y came through the gap and hit Car X, which at that point was still driving in the right hand lane.

This helps but where you’ve added the red line implies Y entered the r/a and cut across into X’s lane. That’s definitely Y at fault. However, if Y entered at the 2nd entrance, stayed in the l/h lane to proceed forward & take the next exit, X has to cut across Y’s lane to take the exit. Which shifts blame. I still think the onus was on both to be more cautious & aware of cars they couldn’t clearly see as they navigated the r/a. If Y gets fully established on the r/a, in the left hand lane, they’ve got the right to proceed in that lane to the next exit (so where they were intending to exit is relevant). But if they can’t clearly see what going on in the right hand lane, you should be more cautious. X has to cut across the left hand lane to take her exit. You still have to look out for cars in the next lane, especially if you need to cut across it to take your exit. I’m sticking with both at fault, unless there’s a detail missing that shifts onus on blame.

MILLYmo0se · 14/11/2025 07:53

I think car y at fault because they shouldn't have driven through the gap in traffic to enter the inner lane when the obviously couldn't see if the way was clear due to the line of traffic on their right

Bobiverse · 14/11/2025 08:13

MoveOnTheCards · 13/11/2025 17:04

But she would have to have been driving in the opposite direction to you (or as good as) for her passenger side to hit yours, especially if she was coming in from the left.

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No, she wouldn’t need to be. The OP was already in the lane ahead of the other driver, who didn’t see her and tried to drive into the lane. So OP rear passenger side would line up with the other’s front passenger side. Like this:

sorry for the terrible drawing! But the other cat has driven through a gap in traffic to join the right hand lane, without looking to see a car already driving in the right hand lane. As the OP passed the gap, the other car has driven through and they’ve clipped the back of OP’s car with the corner of their own car as they turned in behind. Probably had to swing their car round a bit due to coming through the gap so that’s how they lined up with one another.

Bobiverse · 14/11/2025 08:19

GrumpyMenopausalWombWielder · 13/11/2025 20:59

This helps but where you’ve added the red line implies Y entered the r/a and cut across into X’s lane. That’s definitely Y at fault. However, if Y entered at the 2nd entrance, stayed in the l/h lane to proceed forward & take the next exit, X has to cut across Y’s lane to take the exit. Which shifts blame. I still think the onus was on both to be more cautious & aware of cars they couldn’t clearly see as they navigated the r/a. If Y gets fully established on the r/a, in the left hand lane, they’ve got the right to proceed in that lane to the next exit (so where they were intending to exit is relevant). But if they can’t clearly see what going on in the right hand lane, you should be more cautious. X has to cut across the left hand lane to take her exit. You still have to look out for cars in the next lane, especially if you need to cut across it to take your exit. I’m sticking with both at fault, unless there’s a detail missing that shifts onus on blame.

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It’s not at all OP’s fault. She didn’t cut across any lanes or move lanes at all.

Y joined the roundabout, and moved into OP’s lane without looking to see that OP was already in it. It isn’t joint, it isn’t OP’s fault.

She was already on the roundabout. She was in her lane. She didn’t change lanes. Another car has joined the roundabout without looking and hit her.

SergeantWrinkles · 14/11/2025 09:01

Come on op!! You can’t do a roundabout/cat/driving post and NOT put a diagram! That’s the law!

Swiftie1878 · 14/11/2025 09:08

WeGoAgainIVF · 13/11/2025 16:18

Because I was already on the roundabout, she’s entered onto my lane from the left to go either straight on or 3rd exit.

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No question then, she was at fault. You’ll be fine.

Pherian · 14/11/2025 09:47

WeGoAgainIVF · 13/11/2025 10:32

Hi, I’m wondering if anyone would mind letting me know what they think about this situation and who’s at fault.
I had a car accident last week and I’m stressing out waiting for the insurance companies to settle the claim. I know this can go on for weeks so I would be grateful for any input as to how it might go!
To be unbiased I’m not going to say which car I was driving.

Car X enters roundabout in right hand lane to go straight on (on this particular roundabout you are able to go straight on in both lanes).

The traffic in the left hand lane was queuing to get on the roundabout but had left a space for traffic approaching the roundabout from the left to enter.

Car Y entered the roundabout between the cars in the left hand lane, while Car X was already in the right hand lane, speed unknown but at a guess 30mph, maybe a bit more. Car Y collided with Car X.

Car X didn’t know exactly how fast they were going. Car Y said they had been on a long journey, it was dark and Car X was black.

Who is at fault?

Car Y - failure to yield and driving without due care.

Croakymccroakyvoice · 14/11/2025 18:14

GrumpyMenopausalWombWielder · 13/11/2025 20:59

This helps but where you’ve added the red line implies Y entered the r/a and cut across into X’s lane. That’s definitely Y at fault. However, if Y entered at the 2nd entrance, stayed in the l/h lane to proceed forward & take the next exit, X has to cut across Y’s lane to take the exit. Which shifts blame. I still think the onus was on both to be more cautious & aware of cars they couldn’t clearly see as they navigated the r/a. If Y gets fully established on the r/a, in the left hand lane, they’ve got the right to proceed in that lane to the next exit (so where they were intending to exit is relevant). But if they can’t clearly see what going on in the right hand lane, you should be more cautious. X has to cut across the left hand lane to take her exit. You still have to look out for cars in the next lane, especially if you need to cut across it to take your exit. I’m sticking with both at fault, unless there’s a detail missing that shifts onus on blame.

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OP has repeatedly said she didn't move into the left lane, the other car came into her lane.

ihavebecomecomfortablynumb · 14/11/2025 18:26

I’ve worked in motor insurance for years. From what you’ve explained car Y is at fault, a driver entering a roundabout without yielding to traffic from the right is generally found to be at fault, but roundabout claims can be tricky and without footage/independant witness statements they often come down to he said/she said and are frequently settled partial fault.

Original poster

WeGoAgainIVF · 15/11/2025 06:55

Crazydoglady1980 · 13/11/2025 18:26

But you did because you have to cross the left lane to exit. I suspect the insurance company will end up stating 50/50.
When crossing any lane it is your responsibility to check that lane is clear, which it wasn’t. It is also the other car’s responsibility to check that it is clear to enter the roundabout

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If you read the original post and my reply to you before again, you will see that it says that on this particular roundabout you can exit straight ahead in both lanes. I stayed in my lane the entire time, I didn’t cut across into the left lane. Because, as mentioned 3 times now, on the roundabout where it happened there were 2 lanes, both of which you could do straight over

OP posts:

Original poster

WeGoAgainIVF · 15/11/2025 07:03

Bobiverse · 14/11/2025 08:19

It’s not at all OP’s fault. She didn’t cut across any lanes or move lanes at all.

Y joined the roundabout, and moved into OP’s lane without looking to see that OP was already in it. It isn’t joint, it isn’t OP’s fault.

She was already on the roundabout. She was in her lane. She didn’t change lanes. Another car has joined the roundabout without looking and hit her.

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This diagram is perfect! Thanks!

OP posts:

Original poster

WeGoAgainIVF · 15/11/2025 07:04

Bobiverse · 14/11/2025 08:13

No, she wouldn’t need to be. The OP was already in the lane ahead of the other driver, who didn’t see her and tried to drive into the lane. So OP rear passenger side would line up with the other’s front passenger side. Like this:

sorry for the terrible drawing! But the other cat has driven through a gap in traffic to join the right hand lane, without looking to see a car already driving in the right hand lane. As the OP passed the gap, the other car has driven through and they’ve clipped the back of OP’s car with the corner of their own car as they turned in behind. Probably had to swing their car round a bit due to coming through the gap so that’s how they lined up with one another.

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This is exactly right thank you

OP posts:

Crazydoglady1980 · 15/11/2025 07:38

WeGoAgainIVF · 15/11/2025 06:55

If you read the original post and my reply to you before again, you will see that it says that on this particular roundabout you can exit straight ahead in both lanes. I stayed in my lane the entire time, I didn’t cut across into the left lane. Because, as mentioned 3 times now, on the roundabout where it happened there were 2 lanes, both of which you could do straight over

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I think you have me confused with someone else as this is your first reply to me.
Your original post stated that the other car was in the left hand lane, but you have, since my post, clarified that they were crossing into your right hand lane which makes the answer different. If the car did cross into your lane then it was their fault but if crash had happened as you were exiting the roundabout it would be 50/50, which is what I had thought had happened.