Car accident liabilty

[hereshoping]

I was involved in a minor accident at a village crossroads on my way home from work and about to turn left at the crossroads. Today there was an older lady in front of me who pulled out clearing the junction to go straight ahead. I was having a good look to the right in order to turn left and as I pulled out I hit the back left bumper of her car, as she was now stationary in the middle of the road. She had apparently failed to look properly when proceeding straight ahead and had failed to notice a car who had right of way coming from her left (she admitted this at the scene, that she never noticed the car coming around the corner). She hit this innocent car sideways on. Am I in the wrong for failing at the last minute to notice she was now stationary in the centre of the road? I hit her car a glancing blow but most of the damage was to the right hand front panel and wing of my car. Insurance details have been swopped but I feel agrieved that she was the cause of the accident.

[shutts763]

I am afraid that you should be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear. You should have made sure that your way ahead was clear before setting off.

The other driver it would appear had no choice but to stop.

This is quite a common accident particularly at roundabouts when drivers are looking to their right and set off before looking ahead again only to find the car in front has not moved.

[derekpara]

This is a very common type of collision, especially at roundabouts where the vehicle in front moves off and then stops for whatever reason. The following driver, checking right, assumes the car in front has cleared, and drives forward - only to collide with the now stationary vehicle.

There is a saying which I now repeat at every junction and roundabout ' LAST LOOK FRONT'

[Toureman]

I am sorry but you were the cause of the accident.

[redcrx]

you cant just assume that she was going to be out of the way of you.

There may have been a child crossing the road. You should alway look to where you are going to be driving

[4candles]

She may well be in the wrong, but sadly that doesn't put you in the right.

I understand how you feel, hh, but I have to agree with the other posters. Whether the person in front is in the wrong or the right, if you collide with them you're in the wrong anyway.

Been there, done it, and it's tough, but logically it couldn't be any other way.