Car Crash - Who's Fault?

Question

So I was going down a main street, and ahead of me was the left turn lane. I wasn't yet there, and the left turn lane said NO U TURN. So I decided since oncomming traffic the other way was far enough, I would do a U-TURN before there. I was on the farthest left lane, and did not expect another car to be in the saftey lane. I slow down, go into the saftey lane to do U-TURN, but boom!

Another car was to my side. We side crashed, he ended up in front of my car when we stopped. His car was in the oncomming traffic lane, while I was mostly in the saftey lane. I'm not sure if it is called a saftey lane, but the place like dashed where you can go into to make a left turn place.

Anyways, he said he was behind me, following me into the left turn lane, but when I did my U-turn attempt, he saw a car ahead of me.

Like I totally did not expect a car to be on my left side. I was going cutting into the saftey lane to do a left turn. And there he was. Who's at fault?

Answer 1

It was kinda hard to understand the details, but from what I got it sounds like ur at fault since the person was already in the lane and you pulled into him (that's how i interpreted the details, i may be wrong). I'm pretty sure the insurance company will say the same. Also, I think what ur calling a 'safety lane' is a center turning lane.

Answer 2

I think its his fault because jerks tend to be impatient and when behind you they will switch lanes quick and speed up and when he did that you switched lanes properly and he ended up hitting you. Just don't tell anyone you intended to do a U TURN. On left turns at a stop light people tend to not turn into the lane closes to the median or divider and will turn into the outside lanes. Even on right turns too they usually don't turn into the lane right next to the side walk they turn into the lanes on the outside. Accidents happen like that. Your making a right turn 1st, dude behind you speeds up to turn in the outside lanes just as you are too bam accident happens a lot.

Answer 3

From how I understand this, it could  be both your fault.  To what degree is the question.  Yours for not checking to see if you can make the turn safely and or lane change safely, and his for not watching what's happening ahead of him and not keeping enough distance to avoid an accident.  I don't know what state you live in and depending on that, the insurance company will assign fault and to what degree.

Answer 4

This is a tricky one - at first I thought it was clearly your fault for violating the U-Turn, however you did your U-Turn before the turn lane and from the "suicide lane."  It's called that for a reason - it's dangerous to turn there because it is uncontrolled (no light).  It might depend on how far away you were from the intersection that was posted "No U-Turn."  Anyway, if there were dashed lines inside of solid lines, you are allowed to turn from the suicide lane.  

Obviously the other guy wanted to turn left earlier than the intersection as well, and it appears he may have been following too closely.  Your U-Turn across the front of his car caught him off guard - did he end up hitting the left side of your car?  You might get lucky and have him get a "following too close" violation rather than you getting a moving violation for an illegal U-Turn.  If you were doing a left turn and hit the brakes suddenly (dog in the road, for example), he could have also hit your car.  Sounds like "following too close" is your best defense of not being at fault.

I'm glad no one was hurt this time, but in the future, please be careful.

Answer 5

i know it's not legal to drive in the safety lane for one thing, not keeping one's distance is not legal and when someone rams ya from behind it is always their fault , all  involved are supposed to present insurance and licenses to police, i agree with Apollo people should not be in such a hurry and ride a_ _ all the time

Answer 6

YOU ARE!!

Answer 7

Expect your insurance rates to go up, as this is and was your fault.