misterbill
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NY
My son got into an accident on the Taconic Parkway in a particularly bad area where there are routinely accidents (winding road). He somehow went off the road, spun around and landed backwards next to a tree (car was totalled because it was 10 years old, but he was very lucky to be uninjured). He says he was not speeding and I believe him because I have told him not to speed on the Taconic and certainly in that area.
There happened to be a police car in the center median (it is a divided road at that point) at the time of the accident because there was a car fire on the other side of the road. I don't think it is beyond the realm of possibilities that the police car's headlights facing him distracted him and contributed to the accident.
Anyway the cop gave him a speeding ticket (talk about adding insult to injury), "Speed Not Reasonable and Prudent" 1180A. I'm assuming the basis was that if he had been driving at a reasonable speed he would not have had the accident (the rescue people told me there are accidents on this stretch all the time, which I already knew, and the weather was fine). There is no sign in this area which says to drive at below the posted speed limit (55). I figure I will fight it since the only thing worse for my insurance than a 20 year old with an accident is a 20 year old with a speeding ticket (fortunately, he is scheduled to take a defensive driving class this week, so the points will go away but presumably not the insurance surcharge and definitely not the ticket fees if he is found guilty). Should I just ask for a deposition or should I write a letter explaining the facts and dispute it?
My son got into an accident on the Taconic Parkway in a particularly bad area where there are routinely accidents (winding road). He somehow went off the road, spun around and landed backwards next to a tree (car was totalled because it was 10 years old, but he was very lucky to be uninjured). He says he was not speeding and I believe him because I have told him not to speed on the Taconic and certainly in that area.
There happened to be a police car in the center median (it is a divided road at that point) at the time of the accident because there was a car fire on the other side of the road. I don't think it is beyond the realm of possibilities that the police car's headlights facing him distracted him and contributed to the accident.
Anyway the cop gave him a speeding ticket (talk about adding insult to injury), "Speed Not Reasonable and Prudent" 1180A. I'm assuming the basis was that if he had been driving at a reasonable speed he would not have had the accident (the rescue people told me there are accidents on this stretch all the time, which I already knew, and the weather was fine). There is no sign in this area which says to drive at below the posted speed limit (55). I figure I will fight it since the only thing worse for my insurance than a 20 year old with an accident is a 20 year old with a speeding ticket (fortunately, he is scheduled to take a defensive driving class this week, so the points will go away but presumably not the insurance surcharge and definitely not the ticket fees if he is found guilty). Should I just ask for a deposition or should I write a letter explaining the facts and dispute it?
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