Car Accident- Rear End Collision.

So today I was involved in a rear-end collision car accident. I was put at fault (which i suppose i agree with) but was also handed a citation for careless driving. If this has happened to anyone else, maybe you can answer a few questions for me.

This was my situation:

It had just been raining, so there was water on the road. I was coming up to a 3-way intersection, and the light turned from green to yellow. There were 2 cars in front of me. Car A (very front) slammed on his breaks and locked them up, causing him to slide. Car B (infront of me) had to do the same thing to keep from hitting Car A. I tried to break without sliding, but the water caused my breaks to lock up, and I slid into Car B. It wasn't a hard hit, maybe 10MPH tops. Car A wasn't hit, so he left. Car B and myself pulled off the side of the road, exchanged information and called Highway Patrol. After the accident was assessed, he handed the driver of Car B his information and sent him on his way. The trooper handed me my information, told me I was at fault (I agreed) and also handed me a ticket for careless driving.

Now, I have no objections to being at fault. In an accident, it has to be someones fault, and seeing how I hit him, I take responsibility.
What I do have objections to, is the ticket. I wasn't being careless, my eyes were on the road, I wasn't on my cell phone, or listening to loud music. So what are the grounds for careless driving?

Many people I talk to suggest I go to court because of the weather conditions and Car A causing the accident because he locked up his breaks on a yellow light, and not a red light.

So here's my question. Would it be better to take it to court to try to get the ticket resolved and avoid 3 pts on my license? Or just pay the ticket and take a driving improvement course to avoid the 3 pts.

As for my driving record, I've never been in an accident, or been pulled over. This is my first accident and ticket. So i'd like to know your thoughts on the situation? I'm really flustered over the whole thing. Thanks.

 

Go to court dude, the judge will make you pay a fee then take off the points/reduce them. Having points in the long run is a lot worse then just paying a 1 time fee of like $200-$300

 

Where do you live? In most places if you just go to court the officer will reduce the charge to a non-moving violation so you don't get any points but still pay a fine. Or you could try to get it dismissed outright.

 

I live in Florida. And yeah, that's my hopes. My dad said it's crap that even issued the citation because of the conditions of the accident.

 

I rear ended someone in the rain once going down a hill because the person in front of them slammed on their brakes and my brakes locked up, just like you. However the judge/officer really doesn't care how it happened, the fact is that it happened.

I think I paid a $210 fine (including the court fees of like $90), and got 0 points since I talked to the district attorney about it and he reduced it since it was a first-time offense.

 

So seeing how it's my first offense, and the conditions, I have a pretty good chance of getting the points taken off?

 

Depends on the district attorney. What you need to do is show up to court, and wait for the judge to call you up. He will ask you if you plead innocent or not innocent, you'll say that you wish to talk to the district attorney (do not answer his original question). He will send you over to the district attorney, and you talk to him, explain the situation, and normally you're given a defensive driving class to take to reduce the points.

However, for me, I got my ticket about a month before I was moving out of the country. So he just gave me the reduction without taking a class.

 

Oh alright. Thanks a bunch! I guess i'll go to court. I just hope I can get a court date. I move out to go to college in 6 days.

 

the citation seems legitimate to me.

wikipedia defines reckless driving as:

you misjudged a common driving procedure (driving too closely to the car in front of you for those weather conditions), and it resulted in an accident with damages caused. seems like what happened to you is almost a textbook example of reckless driving lol.

sorry bud, i'd recommend Dialatic's advice.

also the ticket should be the last of your worries, your insurance is going to skyrocket

 

My ex-girlfriend rear ended me and my friends right after my graduation, on our way to graduation dinner. She got a citation and she just took it to court and got the points taken off but had to pay a fine.

 

Yes, forgot to mention that loyal to da game is right.

Insurance companies will bump up your payment a shit load for any ticket you get, depending on the company. All they really care about is making money, not who was at fault or the whole story.

 

Pay the fine, and go on the driving course, you might improve your driving, i recently rear ended someone in a similar situation only a week ago, and i deserve everything i get because it was my fault, also paying £4000+ next year for insurance is going to be fun

 

Hmmmm...

Well I've been in an accident that was my fault, i went to driving school to get the points taken off my record. But as stated above about wreckless driving....

It's really up to the judge, but, regardless, i would try and take it to court. Here's what you do:

1: Get your court date
2: Once known, post-pone it. Tell them you won't be able to make it on that day, and reschedule it for a later date, and if you can, possibly a different court house. ( Maybe a little further away, the one in the next town, or even 2 towns! ) why?
3: Doing the steps in #2 will string along the ranger/trooper/cop/sherrif, and if they don't show up, you don't pay, or no points on your record.


Like I said I haven't done this myself but i know hand fulls of people that have. Successfully. Give it a shot?

Driving school isn't that bad.. little pricey however, and it will take your whole day. 8 hours i believe.

As for insurance, ya it's going to go up.. it won't be terrifying or mindblowing but an increase for sure.

Hope this all works out for you! Don't feel bad; these things happen to everyone :embar: