Need your valuable advice/ suggestions !

[smyle32]

Hello, I was involved in a car accident earlier today. I was approaching the intersection
from west towards east. The traffic light was green. When I was about to reach the signal ( within 50ft from the signal) it turned yellow. I proceeded forward as there was enough time for me to cross the signal. As soon as I approached the intersection I saw another vehicle (a truck) taking a left turn infront of me. I tried to stop but it was too late. My car collided the vehicle on the passenger side. No one was injured. Now I am 100% sure the light was still yellow when the collision happened. Moreover I also have a witness who was driving just behind her and he saw what happened. He was the one who called the police and reported the incident. But he had to go somewhere so he left before the officer arrived. I have his contact number and he has agreed to be my witness. Now, the officer arrives and talked to us individually. He writes me a ticket for crossing the red light. He says the lady took a left turn when there was a green arrow signal. And he straight gave me a ticket. He didn't even talk to the witness before making such a decision. I tried to tell him but he says I am supposed to slow down and stop for the yellow sign. I have never received any tickets. My driving record is clean. This is my first time. I am feeling so bad because I have not committed this mistake. Okay, now my question is will i be able to prove my innocence in the court? Do you think the court will listen to the officer / the witness? I am new to this great country and have no idea about the whole thing. Sorry for the long post. Thanks in advance. May god bless you!

[marinepilot]

None of us will be able to tell you what will happen if you take your citation to court, although I would bet that you get found guilty of running a red light. You stated yourself that you entered the intersection after the light had turned yellow. This is the same as running a red light. Yellow, contrary to popular belief, does NOT mean speed up and get thru at the last second.

As for the officer not talking to your witness, he doesn't need to to complete his investigation. You already said that the person had left, so the officer was under no obligation to call that person when he could complete his investigation with the people present.

You are completely within your rights to take the citation to court and fight it, but I believe it will end up as it already has, with you being found guilty of the infraction.

[smyle32]

Thank you very much for your reply. At least now I am able to understand the officer's point. Yet it doesn't settle the issue for me. Now the other driver who took the left turn also turned during yellow light. The problem is she has told the officer that she had green arrow. This is not true. In fact she had a yellow light when she took the turn. Now the witness who was driving just behind her is the only person who has the right knowledge regarding this issue. If I am wrong for running a yellow light the other driver should also be wrong for the following reasons. 1) For taking a left turn during yellow light 2) For not yielding for the oncoming vehicle 3) For misguiding the officer. Am I correct? Thank you.

[DolphinTattoos]

I'm not a cop. But, I will give you my experience of this same ticket.

A few months ago I did something similar. I was approaching an intersection and the light turned yellow. I didn't want to slam on my brakes because there were cars behind me and I didn't want to get rear-ended by making a sudden stop. In the split second I had to decide, I chose to speed up and went through the intersection. Unfortunately for me, there was a sheriff at the intersection. As I'm sure alot of people don't realize, the code reads that you must stop for a yellow, not just red.

I got the ticket and went home and looked up the code online and sure enough. It clearly states that you must stop for a yellow. I, unhappily, paid the ticket since I was clearly in the wrong. Ignorance of the law is not a defense. I still think 131.00 is a little excessive for a yellow light, but oh well... sucks to be me.

As for the other drivers mistakes. Here's what I tell my children when they whine that "so and so did it toooooooooo..... how come they're not getting in trouble?" Well, just because so and so did it too doesn't mean that it's ok for you to do it too. You got caught and they didn't. Sucks, but that's life. Worry about yourself and your actions and let the powers that be correct other people's behaviors.

[CPL1897]

It sounds as if the other driver's arrow turned green when yours turned red and they proceeded through the intersection properly. I come to this conclusion becuase the Officer issued you the citation and because THATS HOW TRAFFIC SIGNALS WORK in THIS COUNTRY!

Even if both signals were yellow YOU still struck the vehicle. It is only logical to assume her arrow was green. And when you have a green arrow YOU DONT YIELD to oncoming traffic. At a yellow
light when tuning when are required to yield at ONCOMING traffic only. You said so yourself that it was an "ARROW" she had.

I was not there, the Officer was the one that completed the investigation and cited you at fault.

Accidents are ACCIDENTS and thats what insurance is for. Explain your side to them and a judge if you choose, regardless you still entered a intersction on a yellow light, turning red. Same as running a red light, period.

[smyle32]

Actually she had a yellow light when she was taking the turn. (We both had yellow light) The person who was just behind her has seen this. He was in the same lane as her. Even when the collision happened it was yellow light . (Verified by the witness) She lied to the officer that she had a green arrow. Let me tell you I am a reasonably educated person and I can understand and I do accept when I have made a mistake. I was almost there when the signal changed yellow. I bet there was no way she could have had a green arrow that soon unless there was something wrong with the traffic light. The book says, for yellow light you have to be cautious and prepare to stop, IF IT IS SAFE to do so. It was not safe for me to do so, I was too close. As you all mentioned I understand why the officer gave me the ticket. It was only logical. The logics work only if you have the correct facts to reach a conclusion. What in case the facts are twisted?

[marinepilot]

Actually she had a yellow light when she was taking the turn. (We both had yellow light) The person who was just behind her has seen this. He was in the same lane as her. Even when the collision happened it was yellow light . (Verified by the witness) She lied to the officer that she had a green arrow. Let me tell you I am a reasonably educated person and I can understand and I do accept when I have made a mistake. I was almost there when the signal changed yellow. I bet there was no way she could have had a green arrow that soon unless there was something wrong with the traffic light. The book says, for yellow light you have to be cautious and prepare to stop, IF IT IS SAFE to do so. It was not safe for me to do so, I was too close. As you all mentioned I understand why the officer gave me the ticket. It was only logical. The logics work only if you have the correct facts to reach a conclusion. What in case the facts are twisted?

If you believe the facts to be in dispute, the place to argue that in the United States of America is in a court room. Take your chances and take the citation to court, and let the hearing officer or judge decide who's story to believe. Arguing it here will not make a bit of difference to the price of tea from China.

[MikeG]

I am going to presume this is a lagging left turn arrow? Your story makes sense if you were heading east and the truck turned left in front of you heading north. That's a common accident and they would be getting the green arrow shortly after your yellow turned red. That's hard to judge after the fact.

If it was leading left turn arrow and truck was heading south and turning east in front of you, it would be much harder for you to argue that he didn't have a green arrow.