Insurance ruled both parties equally at fault.
Montgomery County driver and Redditor /u/OK-Mine-9986 shared headshaking dashcam footage from earlier in the year (March 28, 2025) to the /r/IdiotsInCars subreddit, warning other Redditors not to do what he did when he drove through a painted median and got into an accident as a result.
Check out what happened in the dashcam video embedded below with the original Reddit thread linked here.
The incident happened near the T-intersection of W Ridge Pike and E Arcadia Dr. (Exact location on Google maps linked here.)
As the dashcam shows, OP is driving along W Ridge Pike and wants to enter the turn lane towards Arcadia Drive as quickly as possible.
There’s a painted median facilitating filtering traffic going straight with those wanting to get into a turn lane; however, as the name suggests, it’s not meant to be driven over.
He’s seen other drivers use this “shortcut” to get to their turn lane faster, so he thought, “Why not?”
However, with the painted median and traffic blocking his view, he couldn’t see a driver in a Porsche turning left across three lanes of traffic, against the rules of the road, mind you.
I was in a hurry to pick up a sick kid from preschool. Tried to get into the turning lane, and someone was turning left out of a business,” OP explained.
They crash into each other, at which point OP heads into the nearest driveway where they exchange information to get the ball rolling on insurance.
“Damage was minor. We both stopped and exchanged information. Insurance ruled it 50/50.”
“I was very upset with myself, I’m usually a cautious driver, but I wanted to get into the turn lane quickly. I was on my way to pickup a sick kid from preschool. But saving a few minutes by cutting around traffic wasn’t worth it. I see a lot of people drive on the yellow lines to get into a turn lane, but I don’t do it anymore. Definitely learned my lesson, and luckily no one was hurt.”
In PA, disobeying a traffic control device like a painted median is subject to a fine of $150, with additional fees or points.
Additionally, crossing multiple lanes unsafely to turn left can result in a citation for improper lane change, carrying a fine of $25–$100 and 3 points on your driving record. If an accident occurs, the driver making the unsafe maneuver is usually considered at fault, which can lead to insurance increases or civil liability.
