Near-collision at Lubāna roundabout as car cuts across truck's path

A driver has shared on social media an account of a dangerous near-miss she witnessed at the Lubāna roundabout in Latvia. While waiting to enter the roundabout at its second exit, she saw a truck approaching in the outer lane, when a BMW in the middle lane suddenly swerved across the outer lane to leave the roundabout.

The truck driver was forced to brake sharply, and according to the eyewitness, the two vehicles passed each other with only millimeters to spare. No one was injured, but both the truck driver and the witness were visibly shaken by what had happened.

What the rules require

Without video footage, it is not possible to establish legal fault with certainty based solely on a social media account. However, Latvia's traffic regulations set out clear principles for such situations. Before any maneuver, a driver must ensure it is safe and signal in advance — though using an indicator does not grant priority or exempt the driver from caution. When changing lanes, a driver must yield to vehicles continuing straight in their own lane. Drivers must also move into the appropriate lane well before turning, rather than crossing an adjacent lane at the last moment.

Latvian law provides for administrative penalties for such violations: fines of 15 to 70 euros for failing to yield to a vehicle with right of way, 15 to 40 euros for not taking the correct lane position before turning, and, in more serious cases involving aggressive driving, fines can reach 70 to 280 euros.

In this instance, a collision was avoided only because the truck driver managed to brake in time. That outcome does not mean the maneuver was safe — the safer approach in a roundabout, when a lane change cannot be made safely, is to continue around for another loop rather than risk a sudden maneuver in front of another vehicle.