Car accident claim

dpm_2

Hi,

I'm looking for some help on what to do next; here is my situation:

I was recently involved in a car accident on a roundabout. I was approaching the roundabout and intending to travel straight on, so I was in the left hand lane. (On this particular roundabout there is a seperate slip road for turning left).

When I was driving past the left hand turn on the roundabout, my car collided with another car on my right hand side, which was intending to turn left.

The problem I have is that on the approach to the roundabout, the arrows on the road indicate you need to be in the left lane to go straight on, however when you get on the roundabout this changes to left only, with the right hand lane for going straight on. The left hand lane does however look as though it continues round the roundabout.

Never having travelled around this roundabout before, this took me by surprise so I treated the situation as I would any other roundabout, and not really expecting anything to come at me from the right hand side.

When I stopped after the roundabout to exchange details, the other driver was intimidating and didnt give me his details, only a card with his name and number. When I telephoned him he didnt give me any more details then either.

The damage to my car is negligable, its just a scratch and wont take much to repair.

I'm pretty stuck as to what I should do next, becasue of the confusing road markings i'm not sure who is right or wrong.

Thanks for your help.

lisyloo

Were there any independent witnesses?

If you have nobody independent then often this sort of thing goes 50/50.
This is largely because it costs more to argue than it does to pay up so it's in both insurance companies interests to just settle that way.
It's not satisfactory for the drivers as both will be penalised (accident loading and loss of NCB), but that's how it often goes in cases where blame is not clear.

dpm_2

There weren't any independant witnesses no, at least no other cars stopped.

I'm just wondering if I should jusr ring my insurer and say there was an accident but I dont know who it was and i'll repair it myself?

I'm a new driver so i'm not sure on what the right thing to do is!

dogbot

Do you know the exact location of the roundabout? Can you show us on http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl ? It might well be possible to review the layout from above using the aerial images.

There was an incident, so you really should notify your insurer if those are indeed the terms of your policy (which the probably will be). Explain the situation very clearly and provide details of the road where it happened. They may ask you to complete a diagram. Explain you do not wish to make a claim for your damage (if this is the case) and provide contact details so that they can notify you if his insurers contact them.

It might be an idea to ask them to put a diary on the claim to make sure it is reviewed in time for your renewal, so that if no claim has been received from the third party, they can close it without if effecting your NCD in time for renewal.

Explain the other driver's hostility to your insurer, but don't go too far into this. Chances are he is just a business driver, driving under his company's policy and he may be wanting to avoid a claim himself. The other driver should have provided you with whatever information he had, but some people can be very difficult after having an accident, particulalry if they have had a bad day, or are just a bit short tempered! I assume you noted his registration number?


Given the information you have provided, I don't think it is clear who is to blame. Looking at the layout of the roundabout would help. I don't think I have ever seen a roundabout with 2 lanes of entry, where the right hand one allowed drivers to turn left. Ususaly both or the left allow strait on, the right hand might allow you to turn right or go back around on yourself, while the left lane would allow you to turn left.

Maybe you could post a link from google maps here, or PM me? i am interested to see. (though please state the road you were entering the roundabout on and the direction of travel).

dpm_2

Hi dogbot,

Thank you for your reply. Here is a picture of the roundabout.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&...02414&t=h&z=19

I was travelling east on the A174, and intending on travelling straight on along the A174.

He was intending to head north on the A19.

dogbot

Hi, replied via PM. Concusion though is that, unfortunatly, it does seem he may have been within his rights to turn off from the right hand lane. Certainly a nasty roundabout.

However, send all details to your insurer, including details of location and a description of the road. Ask them to review the road layout using the web tools availible to them (google etc) and see what they think.

If you don't indend to claim, be clear on this point and ask to be kept up to date with any progress. That way if he decideds to claim you may as well get your damage reparied as well.

Best of luck

lisyloo

I think you were in the wrong lane, however that doesn't give the other driver the right to drive into you.
People get confused and lost sometimes and you aren't allowed to jsut plough into them, so it doesn't absolve the other driver of liability.

Quite often people's recollections are different.
Either becuse they are lying or simply because they remeber the event differently (often in their favour).

With two seperate accounts then it jsut often goes 50/50.

My advice would be inform your insurer but stress you do not want to clima right now.
Leave your damage for now (if possible) as if he claims, you may as well get yours fixed properly.

thebaldwindowfitter

inform your insurance and tell them you at this moment are not making a claim you are phoning them to inform them only.you were definatly in the wrong lane and you have turned into his path the line markers on the road you were on point to a19 and the lane he is in there is a left arrow saying he can also join a19 or go round roundabout.i must say though that were the road splits those lane markings are confusing and there might be a case against department of transport