One Car Collision With Curb

[ColinR]

My question involves a traffic accident in the State of: California

While Making a turn off of Pacific Coast Hwy.(Left) I lost control of my car for reasons unknown. (I beleve powersteering failure. or tires)
And i collided with a curb at around 25 Mph the Officer Wrote down 30.
I was the only car that was involved. I however was running from an Suv That was Closely tailgating me. So i Went right thru a Yellow.

Question is The officer Wrote me a tickete for a 22350 Citing unsafe speed and accident.
I have to appear in cort.
What Is involved with this cort appearance. will they charge me with some thing more severe. Am i able to get this reduced or dismissed.
I did not hit anyone else. just the curb had a bad day.
The officer also pointed out that the safe speed for that said turn was around 15 Mph. however this may be true with my car in the out side lane...
I would like to contest this being i was following another Much larger car at a similar speed They did not crash.


Thanks, Colin

[aaron]

What did your mechanic say when you had your power steering and tire problems repaired after the incident?

[cdwjava]

While Making a turn off of Pacific Coast Hwy.(Left) I lost control of my car for reasons unknown. (I beleve powersteering failure. or tires)

You better have some proof of this ... you would not believe how many times the police hear that sort of thing as an excuse for their own "oops."

Was your car damaged?

And i collided with a curb at around 25 Mph the Officer Wrote down 30.
I was the only car that was involved. I however was running from an Suv That was Closely tailgating me. So i Went right thru a Yellow.

You are not required to stop on a yellow light, so you did not do anything wrong. You ARE, however, required to stay on the road and within the proper lane. Striking the curb is a collision.

Question is The officer Wrote me a tickete for a 22350 Citing unsafe speed and accident.

That's because the "safe" speed would have been zero (0) MPH when approaching the curb, and maybe something less than the speed limit when turning.

I have to appear in cort.
What Is involved with this cort appearance. will they charge me with some thing more severe.

They can only prosecute you on the charges for which you are to be tried. If they amend the charges, they will have to do so before trial. I doubt that will happen, though.

Am i able to get this reduced or dismissed.

Anything is possible. Having it dismissed is very unlikely, and having it reduced ... well, there's nothing to really reduce it to. The judge might be willing to cut you a break on the fine, though.

I would like to contest this being i was following another Much larger car at a similar speed They did not crash.

Thus they were travelling at a SAFE speed. It is prima facie evidence that the act was unsafe if you crash.

- Carl

[ColinR]

The safe speed marked down on the Ticket was ten...
I have called Mini Usa to Check for anydefects with the powersteering. but being it was crashed I am concerned they will not be able to find anything with the vehicle.
Im sure cops here this all the time even though i had one agree with me...
Thanks for all the advice.
However anyone know what this ticket is like to have a fine set at?
Umm Same speed as the car infront of me.... So i dont know how my speed was to be determined as unsafe, Other than the crash.
It makes so sense that they ruled it as unsafe because i crashed when another car did make the light.... and only i crashed the only likely conclusion would be to i had a mecanical failure.
Hmm I dont know what to do with this.

[cdwjava]

The safe speed marked down on the Ticket was ten...

How very odd ... I can't imagine how he determined THAT.

I have called Mini Usa to Check for anydefects with the powersteering. but being it was crashed I am concerned they will not be able to find anything with the vehicle.

Not very likely.

However anyone know what this ticket is like to have a fine set at?

It should be at or near $146 (fine plus fees and assessments) plus a point against your license if found guilty.

Umm Same speed as the car infront of me.... So i dont know how my speed was to be determined as unsafe, Other than the crash.

If you could not control your vehicle in a turn at that speed, then you should have traveled slower. THAT is why he is likely citing it as unsafe speed.

It's not just the speed, but the ability of the river to maintain control of the vehicle as well.

It makes so sense that they ruled it as unsafe because i crashed when another car did make the light.... and only i crashed the only likely conclusion would be to i had a mecanical failure.

No, that's the "only" conclusion YOU see ... there are a host of other possibilities, but most lead right back to your inability to control the vehicle at the speed and angle you were operating the vehicle.

- Carl