Official statistics from the Department of Transport indicate that many road traffic accidents take place at slower speeds on UK roads nowadays, and regularly at roundabouts, where a large number of vehicles are often congregating and crisscrossing paths within a very short space of time. With vehicles often jostling for position and drivers growing impatient, it is unsurprising that roundabouts are the scene of so many road traffic accidents.
Who is Responsible for a Traffic Accident at a Roundabout?
It can be difficult to establish responsibility for car accidents at roundabouts as such incidents often involve the actions of various drivers and occur in heavily congested road conditions, meaning that no single vehicle can be held solely responsible.
In the most common accident scenario where a driver pulls out onto a roundabout without checking the road properly before doing so and is hit by another vehicle, liability will most likely lie with the driver who pulled out. If, however, a driver changes lane on a roundabout and pulls in front of another driver unexpectedly causing the latter to crash into the back of the driver who pulled across, liability can be harder to establish. Was the driver who pulled across using excessive speed or allowing sufficient time and space for the second driver to avoid a collision? Or was the second driver not paying proper attention when the first driver pulled across? The truth may be a combination of the two, meaning that liability for the car accident is split between the two drivers. In situations where multiple vehicles are involved in an accident at a roundabout responsibility can be even more tricky to determine.
Liability for an accident at a roundabout can be established in various ways. Often the circumstances are crystal clear and the motorist who caused the accident will accept their full responsibility. In cases where liability is disputed, evidence provided by witnesses can be crucial in determining which driver was at fault. CCTV footage (if available) can also be of assistance in establishing the facts surrounding an accident, as can a professional assessment of the damage done to the vehicles involved. Ultimately, a combination of factors are likely to determine whether one vehicle was solely responsible for an accident or whether liability is split between two (or more) motorists.
What Are the Typical Causes of Traffic Accidents at Roundabouts?
While British roads are among the safest in Europe, congestion is still a problem, particularly in London where eight of the top ten roundabouts with the highest accident rates are located. Many traffic accidents at roundabouts are caused by drivers not checking the road properly before pulling out onto the junction, resulting in a collision with a vehicle already on the roundabout. In other cases drivers change lanes unexpectedly, leaving another driver with no time to avoid a collision.
Solicitors Claiming Compensation for Traffic Accidents at Roundabouts
Over the last 40 years Bartletts Solicitors has successfully claimed compensation for 1,000’s of road users injured due to reckless and negligent driving. Bartletts have a tradition of commitment, hard work, and the highest levels of expertise in advising people injured due to reckless driving on their legal rights. Client care is our highest priority. Our specialist solicitors ensure that you are always kept up to date with every aspect of your case, and we aim obtain the maximum amount of damages for our clients with the minimum of fuss.
Make a free compensation enquiry today
For specialist advice on your personal injury claim, call us now on Liverpool 0151 227 3391 or Chester 01244 645830 or Wrexham 01978 360056 or complete a Free Online Enquiry and we will soon be in touch.
