As a driver you will have probably, at some point in your driving life, have experienced another driver suddenly stop to turn without warning. This can be extremely dangerous, especially if the roads are wet or icy. Depending upon the speed you are travelling and how close to the vehicle you are, this could result in an accident.
When on the roads this is always going to be an issue because some drivers may be in an area they are not used to, so they may suddenly make a last minute turn. Or some drivers simply don’t take into account the safety of other road users. Whatever the reason, this is extremely dangerous and is one of the reasons that road accidents involving side roads are quite common.
Rule 179 of the Highway Code gives guidance on what drivers should do when they wish to turn right. It states that as a driver you should:
- Use your mirrors to make sure you know the positioning and movement of vehicles behind you
- Give a right turn signal, you should do this to give vehicles behind you enough notice
- Take up a position just to the left of the middle of the road
- Leave room for vehicles to pass on the left if possible
Rule 182 of the Highway Code also states that drivers should check their mirrors and indicate before turning left.
If you do become involved in a car accident due to the driver in front of you failing to indicate that they were about to turn then you may be able to make a road traffic accident compensation claim. Or if a car drives into the back off you whilst you’re making a turn and you followed the guidance provided by the Highway Code then you may also be able to make a claim.
Car accidents like this can often cause confusion to where the negligence lies and who was at fault. A court may rule that both drivers were at fault, but say one had more involvement in causing the accident than the other. If you would like further advice on making a car accident claim then contact our team here at The Injury Lawyers for free legal advice.
