Who has the right of way in this driving situation below?

A friend of mine was on this 4 lane road and stopped at a red light in this intersection he was on the third lane from the right and realized he had to be two lanes to the right so he wouldn't miss the right turn, he put the right signal light looked in mirrors and over shoulder and he looked clear to merge to the next lane but as he slowly made his way into this next lane a car appeared out of nowhere and he barely avoided an accident. The light was red at this time only the far right two lanes were still moving when he had transferred so if he had gotten hit by this car who was at fault? Wouldn't it be the other car because she should have seen he had his turn signal on and my friend had already moved half way into her lane but she still drove toward my friend right?
Additional Details
my friend might be at fault but it's common sense that when you see a car going into your lane you slow down unless you wanna crash.

cc_2002TJ

If he had been hit in the side, it would have been his fault for moving into the lane when the other car was too close. If he had made it all the way into the lane & was hit squarely in the rear, it would have been the other driver's fault to failure to maintaine assured clear distance

brian d

it would have been your friends fault.

StephenWeinstein

Cars do not appear out of nowhere.

Even with a turn signal on, when you change lanes, you must yield to all cars already in the lane. The cars already in the lane are allowed to go until they get to where they have to stop for the traffic light. The cars changed lanes must wait.

Richard H

Just because your friend has his indicator on does NOT give him right of way. You say that your friend checked his mirrors and all looked clear, but I don't see how this can be the case if she was able to "appear from nowhere" barely a few seconds later. If an accident had occurred, your friend would be at fault for moving into the path of the other car.

terrellfastball

Your friend would be at fault, and quit making excuses. The person changing lanes is at fault, that is what the lines are for. The fact the other car "appeared out of nowhere" indicates that your friend didn't look well enough still.

And don't bring common sense into it, it won't work. Common sense would indicate you get a safe distance in front of a 70k pound truck instead of breezing over 1 car length ahead before moving over, but it happens. Common sense would indicate you follow at a good distance, but I see idiots following on the bumper of the one in front every day. Common sense would mean sitting up and being alert, but people continue to lay the seat back so they barely see over the dashboard and drive like they are half asleep. Common sense would get over at a lane closure before the last minute, but people still have to run up the closing lane and cause those with a brain to hit the brakes. Common sense would indicate people merge like the book instructs, checking traffic and using signals, but every day people get to the end of entry ramps with no clue to what or where traffic is on the highway.

Texas Underdog

Just because you use a turn signal, doesn't give you the right-of-way.
===================================

roadawg

the car appeared out of no where, are you saying the car decloaked out of thin air?

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: