What Do White Road Markings in Middle of Road Mean?

By: Tracy Wilkinson - Updated: 5 Sep 2012 | *Discuss

 

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Q.

I need help - I was recently involved in a motor accident where I was hit as I was turning right by a driver overtaking cars from behind me. She is disputing liability even though the oncoming traffic ahead of me was clear and I was making a right turn legitimately. I am looking for evidence to help my insurance claim - can you possibly tell me what the white road markings mean in the attached picture please? I cannot find it using internet searches.

A.

Whenever a motorist is driving along any road, it is so important that they take note of and understand the road markings that are painted along the road as they tell them what it is and isn't safe to do. So many people drive along without really understanding what the road markings are telling them - this is a major contributing factor in many accidents that could be avoided if only people took the time to learn about and understand the roads they are driving on.

The Highway Code states that if you see chevrons bordered by broken white lines down the middle of the road you are driving along, then they are there to separate lines of traffic or to protect any traffic that may be turning right. As the area is bordered by a broken white line, then you should not enter that area unless it is absolutely necessary and as long as you can see that it is safe to do so. As the photograph you have provided clearly shows broken white lines bordering chevrons, then this road marking was there to protect you when you were turning right.

As the woman who hit you overtook other cars, it would seem that she was not following the rules of the road and should be liable for the accident. First of all, you were in the correct lane to turn right legitimately and there was no oncoming traffic. Secondly, the road in the picture seems to only be the width of one car, meaning that she would have had to have crossed the chevrons to overtake you. Whether or not it was necessary is unlikely, but potentially arguable if the other driver claims they were trying to get somewhere in a hurry or had an emergency to attend to. However what she cannot contest is that she carried out the manoeuvre when it was not safe to do so, which is the other condition detailed in the Highway Code.

Taking both of these points into account, and the fact that you have photographs to back up your side of the story, I would be very surprised if your insurance company did not accept a no-fault claim from yourself and go about claiming a full fault claim from the other driver.

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