Accident While Switching Lanes
My question involves a traffic accident in the State of: Texas
I was driving on a 4-lane highway. I was in the very far left lane. I was in the process of merging into the lane to the right, while I was merging, I noticed another car merging into the same lane next to me. As soon as I noticed the car merging into the same lane, I quickly reacted and tried to merge back into the original lane. The car behind me speed up thinking that I had completed my merge and in the process I hit the car in my original lane.
We called the cops and he said that if I was merging left and happened to hit someone, it would be my fault, but if I was merging right and I happened to hit the car, then it would be their fault. So I don't understand that if I see a possibility of me hitting someone to the right and try to react quickly and merge back into my original left lane that I would be at fault all the time.
I just want to get everyone's opinion on this situation. Who is at fault in this situation?
Re: Accident While Switching Lanes
The explanation that you say the cop gave is overly simplistic. If you had completed your original lane change to the right (meaning that all four tires were within the lane dividing markings for that lane), then suddenly swerved back into the left lane, then you would be at fault for the collision for an unsafe lane change (the one back to the left, not the initial change to the right). However, if you had not yet completed the lane change (your driver's side tires were still in your original left lane - with your vehicle straddling the lane markings), then the overtaking driver you collided with would be at fault for an unsafe passing maneuver.
As for the situation with two vehicles simultaneously trying to merge into the same lane from opposite directions, the law is a bit murky (and, without an officer actually witnessing the collision, much harder to determine exactly who did what and when).
Re: Accident While Switching Lanes
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Quoting
driver12345
I just want to get everyone's opinion on this situation. Who is at fault in this situation?
What part of your car connected with what part of the other car?