Who is at fault in a side collision

As mediators specialized in car insurance, a Euroteide Insurance We have extensive experience in the processing of lateral blows. The side collision is distinguished because, in most cases, it usually causes serious injuries.

We are going to explain to the reader what is meant by this type of blow, who is at fault in a side collision and how to act in the event of an accident of these characteristics.

What is considered a side collision

At first glance, it may seem that when we talk about a side collision we are referring to a blow in which only the sides of two vehicles are involved.

But it is not like that: the traffic authorities call a side collision a that which occurs when the front of a vehicle collides with the side of a second vehicle.

That is to say, the side impact between cars is what is called a “T-shock”. The particularity of this type of blows is that they usually cause serious material damage to both vehicles and cause injuries.

In this sense, the worst part in a side collision is always borne by the people located in the vehicle that suffers the impact on its side. In fact, most of those seriously injured and killed in accidents They are caused in frontal accidents and in side collisions.

This occurs because the side impact on a car does not usually occur at low speed: normally, the vehicle that causes the impact usually travels at a high speed, with the exception of accidents that occur in urban roundabouts, where cars do not usually travel very fast. .

Who is at fault in a side collision between two cars

For a side collision to occur, it is essential that one of the two drivers has not respected the right of way.

The most common causes of side blows are:

• Running a red light.
• Failing to respect a “Give Way” sign.
• Not respecting a stop sign.
• Left turn on interurban roads: the impacting vehicle can drive in the opposite direction or in the same direction (if it is overtaking us and we turn left during that maneuver).
• Suddenly entering a traffic lane without making sure that other vehicles are not on it.
• The practical ignorance of the priorities of passage when there are no traffic lights or signs at a crossroads or roundabout.

In cases where the cause of the side impact is that one of the cars has not respected a traffic light, a stop sign or a “give way”, there is no doubt that this driver is to blame for the accident.

Let's analyze, one by one, the rest of the possible cases:

Joining a traffic lane

The culprit will always be the driver who breaks into the road. The traffic regulations clearly specify that it is necessary to make sure that we have enough time to carry out the incorporation without there being a risk of collision with the vehicles that circulate on it.

Left turns on the highway

If the reach is produced by a car traveling in the opposite direction, the culprit will be the driver of the vehicle turning left, for the same reason explained in the previous section.

But if we are hit by a car that is overtaking us, there are nuances:

• If we have signaled the maneuver with the blinker, the culprit will be the vehicle that impacts while overtaking.
• If we have not signaled it and there is reliable evidence of that fact, then the blame for the accident will fall on our backs.

roundabouts

If a car enters a roundabout and collides with us while we are driving through it, the blame will fall on the driver.

Likewise, if a driver driving in an inside lane collides with a car driving in an outside lane, the culprit will be the first.

unmarked junctions

In this type of crosses the culprit is who does not respect the general rule of priority. This rule obliges us to give way to any vehicle that is located on our right.

But the truth is that the general rule is difficult to interpret when there are several vehicles in the different branches of an unmarked intersection.

In these cases, the prudent stance is to make it easier for other vehicles to pass: it is preferable to waste a couple of minutes than to cause a side impact for not having interpreted the rule correctly. What should we do if we have had a side hit by car

If the side blow has been minor and there are no injuries (something not too frequent), this is what we should do:

• Evacuate the vehicle and ensure that the occupants are in safe places.
• Signal the incident using the emergency triangles or the V16 approved light.
• Call 112 and indicate the location data of the accident site, indicating that there are no injured people.

If, on the contrary, there are injured, the first thing we have to do is evaluate the advisability of removing them or not from the vehicles involved in the accident. In case of doubt, the best thing to do is not to move them, in order to avoid a possible aggravation of the injuries.

When we call 112, we will try to provide very accurate information about the nature of the injuries and the state of the injured.

Once the traffic authorities have arrived and the injured have been evacuated, we will notify the insurance over the phone, in order to remove our vehicle from the road to take it to a workshop or warehouse.

En Euroteide Insurance We recommend that, after the incident, you visit our offices, where a mediator specialized in car insurance will review the circumstances of the claim and advise you on the steps to follow during the damage claim process, whether it is a no-fault claim or a fault claim.

And if you have suffered serious injuries, all you have to do is call us by phone and provide us with your policy number or vehicle registration number. We will take care of carrying out all the procedures with the insurer for you, while you recover from your injuries.