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I got a ticket for an accident

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The state is GA, Here's what happened. i was in an accident 2-3 weeks ago, I was on my scooter and I was hit, sent to the ground and rolled, there was no police pressent at the time so we had to call them. I was given a ticket for "failure to maintain lane" is it legal for an officer to give out tickets when they didnt wiotness the acident happen and only had to go on the word of those involved?
 


Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
The state is GA, Here's what happened. i was in an accident 2-3 weeks ago, I was on my scooter and I was hit, sent to the ground and rolled, there was no police pressent at the time so we had to call them. I was given a ticket for "failure to maintain lane" is it legal for an officer to give out tickets when they didnt wiotness the acident happen and only had to go on the word of those involved?
Yes.
 

zddoodah

Active Member
Yes.

That said, if you fight the ticket, it may be quite a bit more difficult to get a conviction in a situation like that.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Yes.

That said, if you fight the ticket, it may be quite a bit more difficult to get a conviction in a situation like that.
I'd bet that the OP gave his/her side of the story, which gave the officer enough to issue the citation. It's amazing how often people think they're in the right about something when they're really not.
 

Litigator22

Active Member
The state is GA, Here's what happened. i was in an accident 2-3 weeks ago, I was on my scooter and I was hit, sent to the ground and rolled, there was no police pressent at the time so we had to call them. I was given a ticket for "failure to maintain lane" is it legal for an officer to give out tickets when they didnt wiotness the acident happen and only had to go on the word of those involved?
Do you need to see a tree fall to know that it fell? Jeez!
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
I am not disagreeing with the other replies, but it is true in my county (don't know about the whole state) that cops won't write a ticket if they didn't witness it most of the time. They just take statements for the police reports for the insurance companies. It may be that the OP has heard something similar going on in his area therefore took it as if the cops could not write the ticket, rather than that they often won't.
 

doucar

Junior Member
But that doesn't make it illegal to do it, just because they choose not to do it. I agree it may make it more difficult to prove if the OP chooses to fight the ticket.
 

Bali Hai Again

Active Member
The state is GA, Here's what happened. i was in an accident 2-3 weeks ago, I was on my scooter and I was hit, sent to the ground and rolled, there was no police pressent at the time so we had to call them. I was given a ticket for "failure to maintain lane" is it legal for an officer to give out tickets when they didnt wiotness the acident happen and only had to go on the word of those involved?
It sounds like you did the hitting. Be safe and don’t assume drivers of vehicles will always be able to avoid your mistakes. It’s you on a scooter vs a 3000 pound plus vehicle and it’s you that will end up hurt.
 

Litigator22

Active Member
I am not disagreeing with the other replies, but it is true in my county (don't know about the whole state) that cops won't write a ticket if they didn't witness it most of the time. They just take statements for the police reports for the insurance companies. It may be that the OP has heard something similar going on in his area therefore took it as if the cops could not write the ticket, rather than that they often won't.
Speaking of similar things going on, do the Indiana State Police assigned to the district encompassing your unnamed county follow the same "most-of-the-time-no-citation-practice"? Or do your findings derive from studying only the discriminatory policies of county and city police? Might be best if all were to sit down and sort it out over donuts.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
Speaking of similar things going on, do the Indiana State Police assigned to the district encompassing your unnamed county follow the same "most-of-the-time-no-citation-practice"? Or do your findings derive from studying only the discriminatory policies of county and city police? Might be best if all were to sit down and sort it out over donuts.
It is simply a well known fact and I have also experienced it myself. State police don't usually respond to accidents in the city, which is pretty much the whole county, with the exception of the interstate highways. Therefore I don't really have any separate info on them.
 

Litigator22

Active Member
It is simply a well known [sic] fact and I have also experienced it myself. State police don't usually respond to accidents in the city, which is pretty much the whole county, with the exception of the interstate highways. Therefore [sic] I don't really have any separate info on them.
Perhaps you might wish to supplement your study with the following:

"Indiana traffic violations are offenses that occur while operating a motor vehicle. These offenses can range from minor infractions to more serious crimes. The provisions for these offenses are specified in the Indiana Code and these laws are enforced by the Indiana State Police. (Emphasis added) *

Plus, offer an explanation as to how "these laws are enforced" in the absence of the police issuing a citation to a suspected offender.
____________________

[*] Source: https://indiana.staterecords.org/trafficrecords (Noting that the quoted source is not affiliated with any state agency or department.)

Fini
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
Perhaps you might wish to supplement your study with the following:

"Indiana traffic violations are offenses that occur while operating a motor vehicle. These offenses can range from minor infractions to more serious crimes. The provisions for these offenses are specified in the Indiana Code and these laws are enforced by the Indiana State Police. (Emphasis added) *

Plus, offer an explanation as to how "these laws are enforced" in the absence of the police issuing a citation to a suspected offender.
____________________

[*] Source: https://indiana.staterecords.org/trafficrecords (Noting that the quoted source is not affiliated with any state agency or department.)

Fini
Oh come on. You know perfectly well that when it comes to this sort of thing what is written in the law and what actually happens in practice are often different, sometimes very different. This is just pedantic on your part.
 

quincy

Senior Member
It was a long time before the Snork came back with the wood. “Well, there you are at last,” said his sister. “It took quite a time,” said the Snork, “because, of course, I had to find pieces that were all exactly the same length.” “Is he always so particular?” asked Snufkin. “He was born like that,” said the Snork Maiden.

- Tove Jansson, Comet in Mooninland (The Moomins, #2)
 

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