
Who’s at Fault in this Roundabout in Richland, the Jeep or Truck?
Always give an 18-wheeler extra space on the road, especially in a roundabout.
It's why we often see the caution signs on their rigs or mudflaps. Just like a normal vehicle has blind spots, can you imagine a truck driver's blind spots? There's no way they can see everything behind the trailer or to the side.
So, who's at fault in the above incident?
If you said the driver of the jeep, you are correct. The crash happened in the Steptoe-SR 240 roundabout on Tuesday morning. WSP Trooper Chris Thorson told me the infraction is a $136 fine. No one was injured in the crash, although it happens more often than you think. In fact the trooper admitted to being involved in a similar situation in the figure 8 roundabout at Columbia Drive and Highway 395. Thorson advised that before entering that particular roundabout there's a WSDOT sign warning drivers, "Do Not Drive Next to Trucks."
Do you know the rules of driving in a roundabout in Washington?
I have to admit, when encountering a roundabout, I take extra time to navigate it. It seems people are in way too much of a hurry. Slow down. Stay in your lane. And, if you encounter a large truck, give them EXTRA space. Thorson adds, "They (truck drivers) can't physically maneuver the roundabout in one single lane, they just can't do it."