If you’re involved in a car accident, the citations given to the driver who caused that crash can certainly play a role. While it is possible to seek financial compensation for injuries caused due to negligence even when a driver is not legally penalized for the crash, having a police record of citations can help to establish negligence and show how and why they caused that accident. Since establishing fault is a major part of negligence cases, this type of evidence gives you a chance to ask for the compensation you need for medical bills and the like.
With that in mind, here are some of the most common citations that drivers get when officers determine that they were at fault:
- Breaking the speed limit
- Driving under the influence
- Not following traffic signals/signs
- Reckless driving
- Tailgating or following too close
- Distracted driving
- Improper lane usage
These could, of course, be related. For instance, someone who is distracted may drift over the centerline. That could get them a citation for distracted driving and improper lane usage. If they were breaking the speed limit at the time or trying to dangerously pass another car, they could get a citation for recklessness or speeding. If a drug test then shows that they were under the influence of marijuana, they could have charges added on for driving under the influence.
People often act as if car crashes are purely accidental, but the term is somewhat misleading. There are always root causes, things that people do or fail to do, that cause these accidents. Very few are related to outside causes that the drivers cannot control. These citations help to demonstrate why there is still so much risk every time you go on the road. If you get injured in a crash, be sure you know what legal steps to take.