At fault traffic accident in Illinois

[Dangerer]

I would appreciate any advice from anyone here familiar with this situation. I took my cousins beater car for a cross country road trip last week and on Monday night I was involved in a traffic accident. I made a right turn on a red light and hit another car with a green light going perpendicular to me. At the time of the accident, I had four passengers in the car that all testified to the police that my light was red. I spoke with everyone that night and no one reported any injuries. The person I was involved in the traffic accident with stated they were physically okay at the time of the accident, but reported injuries the following morning. The car has damage on the passenger side but they were able to drive it home that night. My car is now in a towing lot waiting for the adjuster to examine it. After all was said and done, the police wrote me a ticket for $75.

Here's where things get are a little confusing to me. Again, the car I'm driving belongs to and is insured (full coverage) by my cousin who lives in california. I'm also an insured motorist with a california drivers license as well. My cousins insurance is the one handling the incident at the moment. I don't think I can dispute being at fault for the accident by now but I have a few questions in regards to the situation:

1. I'm 24 years old and have been insured since 17. As a california resident, what kind of % hike in premiums should I expect to pay come renewal time?

2. Earlier I stated I was fined for $75, but on the envelope to pay the fine, there's an option to take traffic school for $115. The police officer didn't explain part to me. He told me I could either pay the fine or plead not guilty and request a court hearing. Am I still be eligible to attend traffic school to erase the point from my record?

 

[Gibson486]

Regarding q. 1.....it is dependent on your insurance company.

Regarding q. 2....it is different in every state

 

[Matthiasa]

How about pay attention while driving next time...

 

[Gibson486]

How about pay attention while driving next time...

how about you just answer his question?

 

[BoomerD]

WALK to the nearest police station. Surrender your driver's license immediately.

Regarding q. 1.....it is dependent on your insurance company.

Regarding q. 2....it is different in every state

Yep...I don't know if Illinois will accept a Kahleeforneeya traffic school, but I suspect that if they will, Kahleeforneeya will recognize it and the accident won't affect your license or insurance. Or, are you going to be in Illinois long enough to attend a traffic school there?

Keep in mind that in addition to the higher fee/fine, you also have to pay for the driving school...

 

[CRXican]

1. No idea
2. If you haven't taken traffic school in the last 18 months it's an option, do it

 

[SlowSpyder]

Your user name fits.

It's likely going to go up, but who knows how much. I imagine it won't be pretty.

Maybe the traffic school option on the envelope is to get the charge reduced but the state gets more money in doing so? Or it could be for people who get higher fines, like a $300 speeding ticket and wouldn't make sense for you to use.

 

[BoomerD]

One other thing...the traffic school SHOULD keep the ticket off your driving record...but it does nothing about the accident. That will still go on your record. You may get a point here in Kahleeforneeya, and (depending on your company) it will probably increase your insurance rates. (and your cousin's as well)

 

[TechBoyJK]

I'm in Illinois and I usually get court supervision on my routine speeding tickets. I've gotten like 15 in the past 10 years and none have been reported to my insurance company due to court supervision.
I know this wasn't a "speeding" infraction, but perhaps you can get court supervision. Is there enough damage that you need to contact your insurance company and make a claim? or will the victim driver make a claim against your insurance?

 

[deadlyapp]

Also, while it hasn't been said, most states do not talk to each other regarding traffic incidents. In this case no points will be on your california license because you're in another state - but I may be wrong on this. You'd want to contact the cali DMV to find out for sure.

The ticket may not be traffic school eligible either, and honestly I'd just pay the damn thing because dealing with it cross country will be a bitch. You're not likely to get much of a rate hike, contact your insurance and ask.

 

[BoomerD]

Also, while it hasn't been said, most states do not talk to each other regarding traffic incidents. In this case no points will be on your california license because you're in another state - but I may be wrong on this. You'd want to contact the cali DMV to find out for sure.

The ticket may not be traffic school eligible either, and honestly I'd just pay the damn thing because dealing with it cross country will be a bitch. You're not likely to get much of a rate hike, contact your insurance and ask.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver_License_Compact

"Driver License Compact (DLC) is an interstate compact used by States of the United States to exchange information concerning license suspensions and traffic violations of non-residents and forward them to the state where they are licensed known as the home state. Its theme is One Driver, One License, One Record. The home state would treat the offense as if it had been committed at home, applying home state laws to the out-of-state offense. The action taken would include, but not be limited to, points assessed on a minor offense such as speeding and suspension of license or a major violation such as DWI/DUI. It is not supposed to include non-moving violations like parking tickets, tinted windows, loud exhaust, etc."

 

[deadlyapp]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver_License_Compact

"Driver License Compact (DLC) is an interstate compact used by States of the United States to exchange information concerning license suspensions and traffic violations of non-residents and forward them to the state where they are licensed known as the home state. Its theme is One Driver, One License, One Record. The home state would treat the offense as if it had been committed at home, applying home state laws to the out-of-state offense. The action taken would include, but not be limited to, points assessed on a minor offense such as speeding and suspension of license or a major violation such as DWI/DUI. It is not supposed to include non-moving violations like parking tickets, tinted windows, loud exhaust, etc."

Oh damn, was that recently instituted? Any of my offenses in washington have never been reported to california and vice versa.

Edit: Read through the wiki, weird, its been in place for a while.

 

[Tweak155]

My guess is that you're only in trouble if:

1 - His insurance company tries to get the money from yours.

2 - You get points on your license. (aka go to court if at all possible)

Other than that I wouldn't sweat it. If your cousin's insurance goes up you may want to volunteer the difference.

 

[BoomerD]

Oh damn, was that recently instituted? Any of my offenses in washington have never been reported to california and vice versa.

Edit: Read through the wiki, weird, its been in place for a while.

Yeah...enforcement is relatively new, (since the 90's) but it's been used by a lot of states for decades.

When I was a youth, you could get a ticket in one state, never pay the ticket, and as long as you never went back to that state, you were "home free," and tickets you "collected" in other states never were reported to your home state...you didn't get points, your insurance didn't change... Not anymore...

 

[Old Hippie]

When I was a youth, you could get a ticket in one state, never pay the ticket, and as long as you never went back to that state, you were "home free," and tickets you "collected" in other states never were reported to your home state...you didn't get points, your insurance didn't change... Not anymore...

I remember some truckers having dual licenses in states that weren't in the database.

 

[SunnyD]

Rule #1 - never admit fault. Hell, my insurance tags even have that printed in bold on them.

 

[BoomerD]

I remember some truckers having dual licenses in states that weren't in the database.

Truckers? Say it ain't so...

Next thing, you'll be trying to convince me that some also run dual (or triple) sets of log books...

 

[Dangerer]

thanks for the advice everyone. I do have some family friends in Il, and while I wait around for a cheap flight home, I can consider the traffic school in Il as an option. Also thanks for mentioning my cousins rates are going up. I should prepare the monetary funds to repay her the difference.

WALK to the nearest police station. Surrender your driver's license immediately.

What will happen after I do this?

 

[Malak]

What will happen after I do this?

You'll never be able to drive. His point was you made a very dangerous maneuver in traffic and caused an accident, so you shouldn't be driving.

 

[Numenorean]

Rule #1 - never admit fault. Hell, my insurance tags even have that printed in bold on them.

Well what are you going to do?

"Well I turned right on a red light, but that fucking douchebag asshole over there was right out in front of me like some assclown and he collided with my vehicle."

 

[TuxDave]

If everything's going by California rules, take traffic school, prevent points from showing up on your record, your insurance doesn't budge.

 

[Imp]

Well what are you going to do?

"Well I turned right on a red light, but that fucking douchebag asshole over there was right out in front of me like some assclown and he collided with my vehicle."

If it's a 2 lane road he turned right on to and the other guy made a mid-intersection lane change from the left to right, you could pin part of the blame on the other guy? So, slightly less for the insurance companies to pay?

Not arguing how right/wrong anyone was, just a possibility.

 

[Numenorean]

If it's a 2 lane road he turned right on to and the other guy made a mid-intersection lane change from the left to right, you could pin part of the blame on the other guy? So, slightly less for the insurance companies to pay?

Not arguing how right/wrong anyone was, just a possibility.

That is a possibility and the other driver should be 100% at fault if he changed lanes in an intersection - however the OP did not mention this at all.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally Posted by BoomerD
WALK to the nearest police station. Surrender your driver's license immediately.

What will happen after I do this?

The highways will become a much safer place...

Well what are you going to do?

"Well I turned right on a red light, but that fucking douchebag asshole over there was right out in front of me like some assclown and he collided with my vehicle."

Sounds like one of those "funny insurance claims statements."

"When I saw I could not avoid a collision I stepped on the gas and crashed into the other car."

"No one was to blame for the accident but it would never have happened if the other driver had been alert."

 

[SKORPI0]

I'm in Illinois and I usually get court supervision on my routine speeding tickets. I've gotten like 15 in the past 10 years and none have been reported to my insurance company due to court supervision.

So you're due for a speeding ticket/court supervision anytime soon?
Never had a ticket in my 30+ years of safe driving. There are rules of the road, follow them. :hmm: