Shocking footage has captured a hapless driver involved in three collisions in just five months, but other drivers are blaming the motorist for the string of binges.
Dashcam footage from various locations in Brisbane in October, December and February showed the driver crashing into three different cars, despite apparently always having the right of way.
Two of the incidents involved other motorists accelerating in front of them, one from the left side of a roundabout and one from an on-ramp, without yielding.
In the driver’s third crash, he was sideswiped by a car, sending half the car flying after a merger went horribly wrong.
Some Aussies took aim at the driver for not driving ‘defensively’ despite having the right of way in each incident, arguing that each collision could have been avoided.
Footage of a driver caught in three crashes in Brisbane as recently as October (in the photo showing the driver being sideswiped by a car) has many Australians claiming they are to blame
The first incident in October showed the driver passing a roundabout before another driver attempted to enter.
The other driver had to give way, but shot forward, which led to a collision.
The second accident occurred just two months later when the driver drove through a residential street before crashing into a Holden leaving the driveway.
A car parked on the side of the road blocked the view of both drivers, but the Holden was legally required to yield the right of way.
The third and final crash in February occurred after the driver crashed into a car while trying to merge.
Images of the crashes were shared on Facebook, where some social media users blamed the driver.
“This actually makes me laugh because all three clips were easily avoided by braking and driving defensively,” one person wrote.
“These three could have easily been avoided, but just because you’re technically right doesn’t mean you have no responsibility to prevent the crash,” wrote a second.
Many commentators pointed out that the first two crashes demonstrated the driver’s bad habit of laying on the horn before braking.
“If your first reaction is to hit the horn and not the brakes, then the problem is you,” one person wrote.
“Three good examples of ‘there’s no point in being right and dead,’” added another.
“Just because you have the right of way doesn’t mean you have no responsibility to prevent an accident.”
Despite having the right of way in each collision (in the photo a car jumps in front of them at a roundabout), some said the driver could have avoided the collision by driving defensively
Queensland traffic laws would protect the driver from liability as all other drivers involved in the separate collisions had to yield.
The state government’s StreetSmarts campaign also urges motorists to ‘being aware of the environment’ and anticipating events ‘that could develop into dangerous situations’.
“This means learning to be patient, calm and clear-headed, knowing that unexpected things can happen and what to do in those situations to prevent things from getting worse or having a crash,” the website says.