Traffic citations in St. Paul, Minnesota, commonly get issued even for minor vehicle accidents even if no one has been found at fault yet or regardless of who caused the accident. A ticket commonly includes fines and court appearances and may result in higher insurance rates. Drivers may be issued several types of traffic tickets after an accident.
Speeding
Speeding tickets are the most common traffic citation for traffic accidents and pullovers. Research has proven speed has a greater chance of causing an accident since it causes the driver losing vehicle control. Reports have also indicated that 27% of fatal vehicle crashes involve speed.
Under basic speed law which applies to driving conditions, drivers can be cited even if they are below the speed limit at the time of the MVA. A driver may be able to argue presumed speed which applies to driving in safe conditions, such as sunny weather, even though they drove slightly above the limit.
DUI
All states take drunk driving seriously and often have stern laws against it. Drunk driving commonly falls under traffic violations and criminal offense. For example, if a driver kills a passenger or other driver from drunk driving, they could get charged with involuntary homicide. A driver charged with DUI faces court fines and possible jail time as well as loss of their driving license.
Driving Without a License
Drivers in all states must have a valid driver’s license and makes operating a vehicle without one a serious offense. This also includes removed or suspended licenses. It doesn’t mean they’ll be taken into custody as long as they can prove they had a valid license at the time of the accident.
Driving without a license and traffic accidents commonly get treated as separate issues. However, the driver without a valid license not found at fault could still sue for injuries. Likewise, the other driver who caused the accident would still be liable regardless of having a valid license.
Traffic citations can add to proving liability in a motor vehicle accident. Having a police report is important in accident cases, so drivers should always call police to the accident scene, especially where injuries are involved.