The roundabout everyone in Alexandria knows
The traffic circle at MacArthur Drive and Masonic Drive handles a heavy volume of traffic and a steady stream of confusion about who goes first. That confusion produces collisions, and every collision produces the same question: who was at fault?
The rule: traffic already in the circle has the right of way
Louisiana law treats a roundabout like any other intersection controlled by yield signs. A driver entering the circle must yield to vehicles already circulating (La. R.S. 32:123). If you enter and strike a car that was already in the circle, the presumption is against you.
The most common Alexandria roundabout crashes fall into three patterns:
- Failure to yield on entry. A driver enters without slowing and hits a circulating vehicle. The entering driver is usually at fault.
- Improper lane change inside the circle. A driver in the inside lane cuts across the outside lane to exit. That driver is usually at fault, even though the other car was "behind" them.
- Stopping inside the circle. A driver panics and stops, and the car behind hits them. Fault is often shared, because rear drivers must keep a safe following distance but the stopped driver created the hazard.
Comparative fault means it is rarely all-or-nothing
Louisiana uses comparative fault (La. Civ. Code art. 2323). A court or an adjuster assigns each driver a percentage. If you are found 20 percent at fault, your recovery is reduced by 20 percent. It is not eliminated. Insurers know this and often open with an inflated fault percentage against the claimant. That number is negotiable when the evidence is documented.
What decides the fault percentage
- The police report. Alexandria Police or the Rapides Parish Sheriff will note who they believe failed to yield. That opinion carries weight but is not final.
- Photos of the vehicle damage. Damage location tells the story of who was where.
- Witnesses. The roundabout is busy. Someone saw it. Get their name before they drive off.
- Dash-cam and business cameras. Several businesses around the circle have exterior cameras. Footage is overwritten quickly, sometimes within days. Preservation letters must go out fast.
Deadlines
For collisions on or after July 1, 2024, Louisiana gives you two years to file suit (La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1). For earlier collisions, one year. Evidence, however, disappears in weeks. Use the Deadline Calculator for your date, then act well before it.
What to do after a roundabout crash
Get checked medically even if you feel fine. Photograph everything. Do not tell the other driver or their insurer that you are fine or that it was your fault. Report to your own insurer. Then talk to a lawyer before giving any recorded statement to the other side.
This article is general information about Louisiana law, not legal advice for your situation.