Roundabout accident, who's fault ?

stator

maddol1 wrote: »

Sorry to reopen this thread!
I was just wandering if anyone could offer me some advice.


I went into the back of someone midway over a roundabout.
The car in front stopped suddenly as the exit ahead was blocked and they were letting cars pass from the left.
Am I automatically at fault being the car behind or is he at fault for stopping suddenly on the roundabout (there was no obstruction immediately ahead of him).


Thanks

If his brake lights were working then you are at fault

marcarm

stator wrote: »

If his brake lights were working then you are at fault

Genuine question, but even if their brake lights weren't working, does that absolve you of any blame?

I would think that regardless of anyone's light working or not, you should still not be too close that you can't react to another car slowing down? You would notice the gap between you getting smaller for a start.

stator

marcarm wrote: »

Genuine question, but even if their brake lights weren't working, does that absolve you of any blame?

I would think that regardless of anyone's light working or not, you should still not be too close that you can't react to another car slowing down? You would notice the gap between you getting smaller for a start.

I think it would definitely affect the claim.
You have three brake lights, so for them all to be broken is negligence and the car is unroadworthy.
It takes a lot longer for you to notice a car is getting closer than it does to see and react to a brake light.

If there was no such thing as brake lights, the stopping distances would need to be increased loads and nobody stays that far back.

AdrianC

You'd like to think that they'd have already noticed "the car in front" not having working brake lights, given that they were apparently sitting in sufficient traffic to bring a large roundabout to a standstill, wouldn't you?

stator

Not really. Not everyone sits with their foot on the brake in traffic.

Arklight

Wait, did the OP cause another roundabout accident?

AdrianC

stator wrote: »

Not really. Not everyone sits with their foot on the brake in traffic.

So the car in front didn't brake at all, before the OP hit 'em?

Mercdriver

maddol1 wrote: »

Sorry to reopen this thread!
I was just wandering if anyone could offer me some advice.


I went into the back of someone midway over a roundabout.
The car in front stopped suddenly as the exit ahead was blocked and they were letting cars pass from the left.
Am I automatically at fault being the car behind or is he at fault for stopping suddenly on the roundabout (there was no obstruction immediately ahead of him).


Thanks

I rather suspect you will be held at fault unless you can prove crash for cash.

boliston

I'm not really sure why a brake light would make any difference - surely people can see that a vehicle has stopped in front of them regardless of brake lights?

mark1959

boliston wrote: »

I'm not really sure why a brake light would make any difference - surely people can see that a vehicle has stopped in front of them regardless of brake lights?

Not if they're blind.:eek:
Or looking elsewhere.