Car accident this morning

Quentin

Sounds like car 1 (the drive off one) is free from blame, and you and the van driver both will end up with fault claims.

You are to blame for hitting the van in front of you. You or your insurer may end up paying for the damage you caused

The van is to blame for hitting the stationary car in front.

Unless the van stopped in time, but you hit it with such force it was pushed into car 1! In which case you are totally to blame for all the damage to all 3 vehicles.

Building_Surveyor

Tbf I wasn't trying to establish who was to blame. I was just trying to understand as another driver was involved and drove off, where we all stood.

But to those that have helped, thanks.

It is difficult to explain without knowing the exact road, and I am aware if you go into the back of someone it automatically becomes your fault.

My intention is to report it to my insurance but not make a claim. If the van driver chooses to make a claim (although doubtful as I have photos of zero damage) then it's entirely up to them.

As for the person who drove off, they shouldn't have stopped, but I suspect they will never be traced,

colino

Don't waste your time and energy pursuing the phantom driver, he probably isn't legal if the van hit him, but he still drove off. I'd hand it over to your insurance company if the van driver decides to claim, let them deal with the hassle, and keep your fingers crossed in the meantime.

Retrogamer

Building_Surveyor wrote: »

Tbf I wasn't trying to establish who was to blame. I was just trying to understand as another driver was involved and drove off, where we all stood.

But to those that have helped, thanks.

It is difficult to explain without knowing the exact road, and I am aware if you go into the back of someone it automatically becomes your fault.

My intention is to report it to my insurance but not make a claim. If the van driver chooses to make a claim (although doubtful as I have photos of zero damage) then it's entirely up to them.

As for the person who drove off, they shouldn't have stopped, but I suspect they will never be traced,

From the experience i had with my insurance company, if you tell them you were in an accident when you hit into the back of someone, even if you say no injuries no damage, they will contact the driver / registered keeper of the other vehicle and invite them to claim.

They're interested in protecting them self as well so the quicker a claim or potential claim is dealt with the cheaper it is for them

scheming_gypsy

Insurance usually blame the car behind for being too close. so even though he may have actually been the cause of it, he was the 'innocent' party.

Aylesbury_Duck

Building_Surveyor wrote: »

Obviously neither of us were at fault

Building_Surveyor wrote: »

I wasn't trying to establish who was to blame.

Indeed not, you quite clearly believe it was the third party!

I'm afraid your insurers will consider you at fault for not leaving sufficient stopping distance to the van in front. My first accident as a new driver many years ago was similar to this and I had no-one to blame but myself. Granted, the car two vehicles ahead of me set off the chain of events that led to my crash but my crash was my fault.

Sorry to not be much help but I don't see that identifying the third party is likely and even if you do manage to track them down, it won't make any difference to the way your insurers will deal with your own bump.

ILW

Building_Surveyor wrote: »

We were all travelling one behind the other. The car In front stopped on a slip road to join a roundabout to the motorway??? Idiot, clear road markings to show you should not stop. Anyway that car decided to stop out of nowhere, van in front slammed on brakes slightly hit the car In front, I then slammed on my brakes and hit the van. Luckily no one was behind me.

I cannot recall any markings that say you should not stop at a junction.

fivetide

Sounds like a cash for crash type scenario. Strange they drove off if they'd been hit though. Perhaps you will be lucky... unless of course your van driver suddenly has a car full of people!

Building_Surveyor

ILW wrote: »

I cannot recall any markings that say you should not stop at a junction.

It's not a junction, probably the terminology I'm using A slip road onto a roadabout. The cars already on the roundabout are in the inside lane closest to the roundabout. The cars entering the roundabout enter via the slip road on the outside line. If you want to go into the inside you have to start on the outside and make your way into the inside. The said car stopped to try and pull into the inside of the rounabout instead of continuing on the slip road. As I said difficult to explain without showing you the exact road,

Building_Surveyor

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

Indeed not, you quite clearly believe it was the third party!

I'm afraid your insurers will consider you at fault for not leaving sufficient stopping distance to the van in front. My first accident as a new driver many years ago was similar to this and I had no-one to blame but myself. Granted, the car two vehicles ahead of me set off the chain of events that led to my crash but my crash was my fault.

Sorry to not be much help but I don't see that identifying the third party is likely and even if you do manage to track them down, it won't make any difference to the way your insurers will deal with your own bump.

ThAts why I came on here to ask for clarification. The additional driver was a witness just as much as we were. I agree I'm probably not entirely faultless, accidents happen, albeit this is my first one after many years of driving. I am just surprised someone would drive off if they weren't at fault, not even to check if someone was injured.