A furious driver has sparked intense debate over who was to blame after a National Express coach collided with her car near Heathrow Airport. The incident occurred as the car, traveling in the outside lanes on the road leading to Terminal 5, attempted to overtake the coach on the inside as they approached a bend. The coach, a single-decker vehicle, was initially in the left lane and signaled left before drifting into the right lane, where the car was positioned. Both vehicles were approaching a roundabout near the Short Stay Car Park entrance when the coach swung into the car, causing a collision. The driver of the car claimed that the National Express coach had crashed into her, but opinions on who was at fault are sharply divided among those who viewed footage of the incident on social media.
On one side, many motorists who watched the footage argued that the car driver was entirely to blame for the collision. One user described her actions as “dangerous” and suggested that she should face penalties, including points on her driving license and community service. Others emphasized the importance of giving large vehicles, such as coaches, plenty of space to maneuver, especially in situations like roundabouts. “Never become the meat in a sandwich and always give larger vehicles more room to maneuver,” one commenter advised. Another user criticized the car driver for attempting to overtake a coach on a roundabout, calling it a reckless and unnecessary risk. “She was stupid to try to overtake a coach on a roundabout. That’s a triple axle coach as well, 15 meters long. Just stay back, what’s the frigging rush?” they said. Several people invoked the Highway Code, which recommends giving large vehicles extra space at junctions, and accused the car driver of putting herself in danger by failing to do so.
However, not everyone sided against the car driver. Many viewers of the footage believed that the coach driver was entirely at fault for the collision. One commenter accused the coach driver of being lazy and irresponsible, stating that he had ample space on his nearside but failed to check his mirrors before drifting into the car’s lane. “Two lanes into & out of the island, he had loads of room on his nearside, but he chose, without checking his mirrors, to straight line the island, taking the car out in its lane!! Lazy,” they wrote. Another user defended the car driver, arguing that the coach driver’s actions were unjustifiable. “That was just pure clown shit from the coach driver. Signaled left then drifted over to the right? The car driver had no reason to stay away from him,” they said. Others questioned the coach driver’s decision to signal left before moving to the right, suggesting that this maneuver was confusing and unsafe. “Coach driver indicating left, plenty of room even if he was going straight across, why did he drift over to the right?” one person asked. Some even expressed broader frustration with National Express drivers, describing them as “self entitled, arrogant, and aggressive” behind the wheel.
A smaller but significant group of commenters believed that both drivers shared some degree of blame for the collision. “Coach driver’s fault and doing what most drivers do on a roundabout. The car driver should have anticipated it though,” one user said, acknowledging that while the coach driver’s actions were problematic, the car driver could have been more cautious. Another commenter criticized both drivers for lacking hazard awareness, suggesting that neither had taken adequate steps to avoid the collision. “No hazard awareness from both drivers,” they wrote. Similarly, one person noted that the car driver should have either positioned herself well ahead of the coach or stayed safely behind it, rather than attempting to overtake in a risky situation. “In that situation, either get well ahead of the bus, or stay well behind it. Poor driving from both vehicles,” they said. This perspective reflects the complexity of the incident, where fault may not be entirely one-sided but rather the result of multiple poor decisions.
National Express has since addressed the incident, confirming that it occurred at around 5:10 a.m. on February 2 near the Heathrow Terminal 5 roundabout. A spokesperson for the company stated that the collision involved the tail end of one of their coaches and a third-party vehicle. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident, and the matter is currently under internal investigation. While National Express has not yet commented on the specifics of what happened, the company’s response indicates that they are taking the incident seriously and will examine the circumstances leading to the collision.
The debate over who was at fault in this incident underscores the challenges of navigating busy roads and roundabouts, particularly when large vehicles like coaches are involved. While some argue that the car driver was reckless to attempt overtaking in such a situation, others believe the coach driver bore responsibility for failing to check his mirrors or signal appropriately. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and caution on the road, as well as the need for all drivers—whether in cars or larger vehicles—to follow safe driving practices and adhere to the rules of the road. Ultimately, the collision highlights the potential consequences of poor decision-making and the value of giving larger vehicles the space they need to maneuver safely.
