Accidents In Round-A-Bouts: Special Rules For Special Roads

Round-a-bouts have served as a means for directing European traffic for decades with minimal expense. The problem is that politicians noticed the minimal expense and decided to build round-a-bouts in the U.S. literally everywhere they can possibly construct a round-a-bout. Sometimes this works, but sometimes it does not. For example, the number of car accidents that occur in round-a-bouts certainly are not changing how expensive these special roads really are. The more complex the round-a-bout, the more difficult it seems to be to navigate, and the more often people find themselves in an accident, blocking traffic. 

If this kind of accident has happened to you recently, consult an auto accident attorney. There are special road rules governing round-a-bouts, and the rules can give accident victims quite the headache. Before you meet with your auto accident attorney, check with the special rules below to see if they apply to your accident. 

You Were Hit by a Semi Truck in the Round-a-Bout

You think you have problems trying to navigate a round-a-bout? Try driving a semi that cannot possibly make circular turns pulling a rectangular trailer that will not go in a circle either. That is why semi trucks are supposed to have the right-of-way in these circular streets. They have to pull all the way over to the farthest-out lane just to move the trailer around the central hub. If you were hit by a truck because you were in this lane or you pulled out in front of a truck trying to execute this move, your case is a bit of a gray area. However, if you were on the inside lane a distance from the truck and then suddenly found yourself pinned to the center hub of the round-a-bout, that may be the fault of the truck driver not properly executing this turn. 

Everyone Is Supposed to Yield

Everyone is supposed to come up to the round-a-bout and yield. A lot of people dart on through thinking they can just keep going if other cars are just turning, but they forget how fast other drivers move. If you were struck by someone who failed to yield or decided to rush it, you have a case against that driver. If you failed to yield (and there might be traffic cam evidence of this), you may not like the outcome of your case. Make sure your evidence supports your story because these special road rules are enforced. 


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