Who is at fault when a car gets hit while cutting in line?
2 Answers
A merging vehicle must not obstruct vehicles traveling in the normal lane. In the event of a traffic accident, the merging vehicle will bear all or the primary responsibility for the accident. Whether it's driving over the line or making an emergency merge, regardless of whether the line is dashed or solid, the merging vehicle must be primarily or fully at fault. Therefore, if a car gets hit while cutting in line, the one who cuts in is at fault. Below is relevant information about cutting in line: 1. If the rear vehicle intentionally collides with the merging vehicle, causing an accident, then the rear vehicle is fully at fault. Moreover, legally, this is not just an ordinary traffic accident because it involves subjective intent to harm. 2. If the rear vehicle overtakes from the right side and causes a rear-end collision after overtaking, the rear vehicle is at fault. According to the Road Traffic Safety Law, overtaking from the right side is prohibited and constitutes a traffic violation.
What annoys me most when driving is encountering lane cutters. The liability in such accidents is actually quite clear. According to regulations, the lane-changing vehicle must yield to vehicles going straight. If a cutting-in vehicle forces its way in and causes a collision, it will basically bear full responsibility. Last time I witnessed a colleague encountering this situation, the traffic police directly ruled that the lane-cutting vehicle was fully at fault and had to pay over 3,000 yuan in compensation. However, it's important to note that if the following vehicle intentionally accelerates to cause a collision, the nature becomes a deliberate scam, and the liability determination will be different. When encountering lane cutters, it's best to gently brake and yield. If a collision does occur, don't settle privately—immediately call the police and check the dashcam footage for the most reliable solution. After all, the road is not a racetrack; safe driving benefits everyone.
