Roundabout Accident Attorneys in Belmar NJ

Dedicated Team of Lawyers Representing Victims with Traffic Circle Accident Injuries in Monmouth County, Ocean County, and across New Jersey

Roundabouts, also known as traffic circles, were introduced as a way to reduce the number of traffic crashes occurring in intersections. While they may have been successful in reducing the number of car accidents, crashes still happen. What is even more unfortunate is that the design of roundabouts has made it more difficult to determine fault in these accidents. More and more victims have found themselves being told that insurance won’t pay for their injuries or vehicle damage and having to resort to hiring a lawyer to get the compensation they are rightfully entitled to. Understanding more about roundabouts, the accidents that occur, and what to do if you are involved in an accident in a roundabout can help protect your rights and ensure that you receive the financial recovery you deserve.

Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh‘s team of talented personal injury attorneys provides thorough assistance for roundabout accident victims who suffer the many physical, emotional, and financial effects caused by crashes in traffic circles in New Jersey. We analyze evidence, conduct depositions, negotiate with insurance, and advocate in court when the situation warrants litigation to obtain justice and full damages for our clients. Our auto accident lawyers aim to secure compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and property damage, in addition to pain and suffering. When fatal accidents happen at roundabouts, we fight tooth and nail to hold those responsible accountable and secure financial recoveries for the families and surviving loved ones who suffer these tragic losses. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your legal options after a roundabout accident in Middletown, Freehold, Asbury Park, Wall, Monmouth Beach, Manasquan, Neptune, Hazlet, or another community in Ocean County, Monmouth County, and Southern New Jersey by calling (732) 440-3950.

The Efficiency of NJ Roundabouts in Traffic Management

A roundabout is a road junction at which all traffic moves in one direction around a central island in order to reach one of the roads converging on it. Roundabouts are seen as safer than the traditional intersection with stop signs or traffic signals. For example, without a traffic signal, drivers do not feel compelled to speed up and try to “beat” the signal by changing colors. In a traditional intersection, if a driver fails to notice a stop sign or red light, they may hit another vehicle head-on or hit them directly on the side in a T-bone accident, both of which can be severe and even fatal.

Roundabouts eliminate both traffic signals and stop signs. Instead, drivers merge into the traffic circulating within the roundabout and exit at the appropriate road. As drivers approach the roundabout, they may need to yield to the already circulating traffic, or there may be no traffic or a large enough gap in traffic for them to keep moving at speed and enter the roundabout. This keeps traffic moving more smoothly and eliminates stop-and-go traffic and the rear-end collisions that often occur in that type of traffic. The speeds within roundabouts are slightly lower than the speeds of the surrounding roads, which reduces the chances of an accident due to speeding.

Exploring the Legacy of New Jersey’s Highway Roundabout

The first-ever highway roundabout in the United States, perhaps even the world, was right here in New Jersey in 1925. Airport Circle still exists today, though it has been modified with ramps, lights, and overpasses. In the 1920s and 1930s, New Jersey determined that the most efficient way to move traffic through three or more intersecting roads was the roundabout. Roundabouts were built throughout the state and at one time there were a total of 101. However, in the century since, it has been realized that perhaps they are not as efficient as once believed. Due to many drivers lack of knowledge about how to navigate a traffic circle, accidents still occur, and this actually delays traffic movement through the roundabout.There are still approximately 30 roundabouts still in use throughout New Jersey, according to a spokesman at the Department of Transportation.

Roundabout Navigational Challenges and Liability Concerns

While roundabouts have certain benefits, they also present certain issues that aren’t always present with more traditional intersections. Perhaps the biggest issue they have is that many people do not know how to navigate them. For example, New Jersey state law clearly states that a driver approaching an intersection must yield to one who has already entered the intersection – thus, this would mean that drivers entering the roundabout must yield to those already circulating the roundabout. People attempting to navigate traffic circles believe that those entering the circle have the right of way. Confusion over who should yield to who can lead to accidents as two or more vehicles assert their right to keep driving while expecting other drivers to yield.

Another issue roundabouts can present is confusing drivers who are not familiar with the area. Drivers who are unfamiliar with an area often rely on GPS devices to help them determine where to make turns or exit roads. However, in a roundabout, a GPS device’s instruction to “take the second exit” may be confusing. Additionally, the driver may focus their attention on the GPS as they try to determine which road they need to take, so they can match the name or number with signs, and this can lead to accidents.

Finally, liability can be confusing when there is an accident. Roundabout accidents are more likely to involve multiple cars. Drivers will all point the finger at others, often because they each genuinely believe someone else is responsible for the accident. This can lead to drawn-out claims that take much longer to settle or even result in lawsuits because fault is at issue and no one is willing or able to settle.

Primary Reasons Behind Collisions in Roundabouts

There are a few common causes of collisions in roundabouts including failure to yield, speeding, stop and go traffic, and failure to use the proper lane. Prior to entering the roundabout, drivers must look for drivers already in the roundabout and for pedestrians. If they fail to look for these or fail to yield to them, the chances of an accident greatly increase.

Many people who are uncertain how to navigate a roundabout will grip the steering wheel and speed through it in hopes of getting safely to the other side. However, their high speed combined with their uncertainty can also make an accident more likely. Drivers should slow down as they approach, enter, and drive around a roundabout.

The intention of the roundabout is that the vehicles are continuously moving. Drivers will often hit the brakes as they try to figure out which road they need to exit on or when they realize they are in the wrong lane and want to change lanes. These stop and go actions can cause other drivers to hit the vehicle that is hitting the brakes.

Finally, many roundabouts contain multiple lanes. Driving in the correct lane is crucial to safely exiting the roundabout and avoiding accidents. When drivers fail to drive in the correct lane, they can cause an accident when they step on the brakes in confusion, change lanes aggressively or without signaling, or turn from the wrong lane in order to use the exit they need.

Types of Accidents at Traffic Circles

There are several common traffic accidents that occur inside a roundabout including rear-end collisions, sideswipe accidents, central island accidents, chain reactions, accidents when entering or exiting, and head-on collisions.

Often the result of stop-and-go traffic, aggressive driving, or distracted driving, rear-end collisions are perhaps the most common traffic accident in a roundabout. If someone takes a turn too quickly or misjudges the space in a roundabout, it is possible for the driver to sideswipe another vehicle.

Two vehicles may be traveling in a roundabout together when one driver realizes they need to be in a different lane to make their exit and abruptly exits the roundabout, causing a central island accident. This can happen when the second car attempts to avoid the first car, which is unsafely changing lanes, by swerving into the central island of the roundabout or the small piece of land or concrete in the middle of the roundabout. While this may not seem that bad, these islands may have signs, trees, or other things that the vehicle may collide with. In this situation, it is also possible for the second vehicle to drive all the way through the island and crash into a vehicle on the other side.

Due to the nature of a roundabout, multiple cars often enter, drive in, and exit the roundabout at any given time, increasing the risk of multi-car accidents. These accidents may occur when a driver is negligent or makes a mistake when entering the traffic circle or when the driver cuts across multiple lanes of traffic to use the exit they need. In both cases, these accidents can lead to sideswipes, rear-end collisions, chain reaction accidents, and others. Finally, while they are not as common in a roundabout, head-on collisions can also occur. They can happen due to speeding, entrance or exit confusion, or driver confusion.

Devastating Impact of Roundabout Accidents

The injuries that can occur in a roundabout car accident are the same as any other car accident. The most frequently occurring injuries in roundabouts include whiplash, head, neck, and back injuries, cuts, bruises, sprains, nerve damage, brain injuries, and broken bones. Additionally, loss of limbs and death can also occur in these types of accidents.

The NJ Roundabout Yielding Rule

One of the issues with roundabouts is understanding who yields to whom. Under NJSA 39:4-90, those entering an intersection must yield to those already in it. It also states that when two vehicles enter the intersection at the same time, the one on the left must yield to the one on the right. Many drivers, and sometimes even law enforcement and insurance companies, interpret this to mean that drivers entering a roundabout must yield to the drivers already circulating in the roundabout.

However, a roundabout is a series of uncontrolled intersections. This means that a driver driving in the roundabout and approaching an intersecting road and a driver on that intersecting road approaching the roundabout are both entering an intersection at the same time. Therefore, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right—which means that, in a roundabout, the driver in the roundabout (on the left) must yield to the driver entering the roundabout (on the right).

Navigating Multiple Liable Parties in Roundabout Accident Cases

Roundabout accidents, like other accidents, may have multiple parties who are liable. A few examples of responsible parties include cyclists, pedestrians, drivers, vehicle manufacturers, trucking companies, construction companies, or the municipality that designed the traffic circle. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as pointing a finger at the other driver or a pedestrian. For example, because law enforcement may mistakenly believe that the driver entering or exiting the circle must yield to others and therefore, assign fault to you in any accident report if you were that driver. If the insurance company also shares this mistaken belief, you may face an uphill battle getting the compensation you deserve.

Additionally, roundabout accidents frequently involve multiple vehicles. This means multiple drivers, all blaming someone else, and multiple insurance companies, all expecting someone else to pay. This can lead to a never ending spiral of blame and refusal to pay that doesn’t make any progress. Despite the complexities of determining liability in these accidents, you still have the right to file a claim and demand the compensation you deserve. You may want to consider hiring an attorney to help you navigate these complexities, however.

Get the Compensation You Deserve After a New Jersey Roundabout Accident with Assistance from Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh

There are many ways our personal injury attorneys at Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh can assist you after a roundabout accident. First, we can go over the evidence, such as any video footage, the point of impact on the vehicle, tire tracks and the trajectory of your vehicle when it was hit, phone data, and eyewitness statements. Then, we can put together a reasonable presentation of how the accident occurred.

Next, our legal team in West Long Branch can assist with taking depositions from the other drivers and any witnesses. Our lawyers can also speak with the insurance claims adjuster on your behalf to attempt to settle the claim without going to court. When court is necessary, we can fight for your right to recover your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and other accident-related damages.

If you have questions or would like to get specific information about your own roundabout accident case and the legal avenues that may be available to you, schedule a free consultation with our office today. Our attorneys will take great care in exploring your legal rights and options if you suffered injuries or property damage due to another’s negligence at a traffic circle in Holmdel, Rumson, Long Branch, Sea Bright, Tinton Falls, Toms River, Freehold, Howell, or elsewhere at the New Jersey shore. Call our attorneys for a free consultation at (732) 440-3950 today.