A friend had recently been stung by their insurance company claiming through her insurance after she was hit by another driver (who was travelling a bit quick, but no impartial witnesses) as she was in the middle of a 3-point turn. The driver came round a corner and straight into the front wing of the car as it was across the road.

The insurance company has said that it was her fault for performing a hazardous manuover, is this right? Don't ever remember being told this when I had to learn it for my driving test.

Depends on the road I guess - 3 point turn in a quiet cul-de-sac is not hazardous, and may be expected.

 

Whereas 3 point turn in a major A road would be dangerous and other drivers would not be expecting.

 

What was the road in question, what was the speed limit and was the other driver (in your friend's opinion) doing more than prescribed limit?

It would depend a bit on how far she was from the corner IMO.

As the others mention, it depends on the road, however I think the other driver should be in question too, as they are probably going too quickly for what they can actually see. Why didn't they slow down for the corner, if they cannot see what is on the other side of the corner.

Before starting a 3 point turn the driver should check they have good visibility to oncoming traffic in both directions. If they were doing the manouvre next to a bend it doesn't sound like this was the case.

As above, 3 point turn on or near a bend isnt a good idea. 

I was always told when turning, if you can't safely stop in the distance you can see, you are going too fast, so yes, the other driver should be called into question IMO. As mentioned though, it does also depend on where the three point turn was carried out.

Needs more info, but sounds like it was on a major road near a corner, so I'd say yes it was

Point is,

it might not have been a car doing a 3 point turn,

it can be a child or animal in the road, maybe a cow. even a silly cow.

So the 3 point turner is possibly doing so in a unsafe place.

 

BUT,

You can not be 'driving with undue care and attention' and just crash into them though.

So driving in a way that you can not control the vehicle when you round a corner and have to stop to avoid hitting something.

(or it can even be Dangerous Driving for hitting the Careless Driver.)

 

So were police called and was there any action taken against either driver.?

 

george

As said, the answer to the question would be 'it depends'.

 

We (and the insurance company) would need more information about where the manoeuvre was carried out, and what the posted speed limit on the road was. A Google Map link to the area would be the best idea. 

This sounds like both drivers could be at fault.
One for doing a three point turn in the wrong place, and the other for going too fast.

That did cross my mind too - could end up being a 50:50 resolution.

It was in a residential area, not a tight corner more gentle bend, and there are speed bumps along the road as it is near a secondary school

google street view link in the spot?  

The thing is in reality both parties probably have some responsibility but in practice it is probably easy to prove that the 3 point turn was done in a hazardous place but hard to prove that the other vehicle was travelling too fast.

not sure how to link google maps, but the co-ordiantes in the bar are "50.954615,-2.628372". St. Michaels Avenue Yeovil.

not sure how to link google maps, but the co-ordiantes in the bar are "50.954615,-2.628372". St. Michaels Avenue Yeovil.

 

The co-ordinates take me to another road which joins St Michaels Ave. St Michaels Ave is a long road, the entire road is 20mph zone with regular traffic calming, whoever hit anyone on that road doing a 3 point turn is a total piece of work. It is a fairly wide road for the most part but is a residential area and has a school on it, which I assume is where the traffic calming has come from. whatever happens it will be unjust for your friend IMO. 

You should always expect the unexpected around any corner and be prepared to stop in a hurry - sounds like they've been had.

 

However the driving test doesn't help - they teach you to do it so slowly. If I do a three point turn I'm turned around in 2/3 seconds max - the quicker you do it, the less chance there is of being hit.

It also depends on what point of the '3' point turn she was at and whether she saw and took account of the oncoming driver. Did she see (or could she have seen) the approaching driver before she started the maneuver?

She had finished the reverse back and was in the process of driving off when she was hit

Has she got any pictures of the damage and vehicle positions?

Just damage

Can you try and post them?

You should always expect the unexpected around any corner and be prepared to stop in a hurry - sounds like they've been had.

 

However the driving test doesn't help - they teach you to do it so slowly. If I do a three point turn I'm turned around in 2/3 seconds max - the quicker you do it, the less chance there is of being hit.

 

I find that going backwards first usually turns it into a 1-point turn. The front comes round quite far on the first go, especially on full-lock. The Duvet Thief was quite surprised that I can turn the Octy in less moves than her focus.

A girl doing a 3 point turn is always a hazardous manouver. I once watched a woman wreck a brand new 3 series coupe with several seperate impacts trying to get out of a multistorey car park. After about 15mins of patiently waiting in a massive que that had developed i got out knocked on the window and offered to 3 point it for her she accepted and i was out in two. I didn't get so much as a thankyou. Im not kidding she was like austin powers in that tunnel going backwards and forwards with no idea how stearing geometry works.