Ticket for follwing too close in IL

[Diya]

It happend when I was making left on Roselle from Bode. I was getting out of the Valley grocery store and
made left on Bode Road to go to the other side of the road.
There are three lanes as soon as you make left from this Valley grocery store. Two of them are for left turn and
third one is to make right turn on Roselle.
I went to the second lane(which was left turn lane) to make my next left on Roselle. I got my car into that lane.
There was a car already into that lane so I was not able to keep a long distance but was able to keep atleast
some distance and I stopped.

Then suddenly a fire bus came from behind. So I was trying to go to third lane (which was for right turn) so the
person from my left lane can come into my spot and the fire bus can go. But in that movement my car touched the car
in front of me. It was not like that I hit her from the back in a speed. It just touched. My license plate touched her
car. Not any single damage on my car or on her car happened. She was not gonna call the police first but then
she changed her mind.

Cop came. He gave me a ticket and a court date. But he took my driver license and said to come to the police station
and pay $75 to get my driver license otherwsie I can go to the court on the given date and pay over there to get
my driver license. He also mentioned that if other dirver doen't show up in the court then ticket will be thrown and
I would get my $75 back.

Then I looked at the papers he gave me. One of them was for paying $75 if my car had been towed. So I am still
confused that the cash I paid police station was it for my ticket or for towing car? NOTE: My car was not towed.

What should I do to get the ticket thrown out? This is my very first ticket. I am 24 and I got my driver license
in 2006.

What could happen if other driver shows up in the court? Will I have any chance to get the ticket thrown out?
And what could happen if other driver doesn't show up in the court?

Vary last question: If the ticket gets thrown out, will be there any record under my name?

I talked to some person in the court from traffic department over the phone and he said that it will depend on the judge to decide to throw that ticket. It doesn't matter that what cop told me that ticket would be thrown. So I am really worried. I am not a reckless person who doesn't care about this.

Please I need this information. Help me! My husband is not in the U.S.A. right now and I just got in this country in 2006. I am really scared.

[FlyingRon]

That's a nice story but running into the back of the car in front of you is usually pretty strong evidence that you are following too close.

You can go to court and see if you get out of the ticket, or you can just pay it (you are admitting guilt by doing so).

[Diya]

Yeah it sounds like a story but that's what happned actually. Will judge give me a chance to explain the situation or just will tell me to pay the fine?

And is there any chance to get the ticket thrown out if other driver doesn't show up? That's what the cop told me but I am not sure about this.

What's a normal fine for this kind of ticket?