ticket for hydroplaining

[missmightyroar]

I got a ticket recently for a wreck. The ticket was for failure to maintain control of my car on a mountain hwy and crossing the line and hitting another vehicle. I was driving down a mountain hwy and it had just rained so the ground was still a little wet and the road was about half way dry. I was going the speed limit and hit a wet spot and hydroplained causing me to cross the line and hit another car as it was traveling up the mountain. I fish tailed the car, but everyone was fine. The state trooper asked me if I was going the speed limit and I told him that I was and I told him that I had hit a wet spot and as I was trying to keep the car in the lane I hit the other car. He still gave me a ticket. I have a friend that says that I should contest the ticket because it is ridiculous for me to have gotten a ticket for the wreck since I had hydroplaned and there would not have been a possible way for me to control my car in such a circumstance. I was wondering whether you thought that this ticket is worth going to court to contest? whether you think the judge would throw it out? or whether I should just get over it and pay the ticket and not waste my time to go to court? Thanks so much for your help.

[KY PO]

I was wondering whether you thought that this ticket is worth going to court to contest? whether you think the judge would throw it out? or whether I should just get over it and pay the ticket and not waste my time to go to court? Thanks so much for your help.

Pay the ticket. In adverse weather conditions you should have been going well under the speed limit.

[gotthblues]

Pay the ticket. In adverse weather conditions you should have been going well under the speed limit.

yup, you might check your states vehicle statutes, but in oklahoma when speed is addressed, it says something to the effect that the posted speed limit is the maximum allowed under prime circumstances,, which means, if its, raining, wet, cloudy, snowy, so on, then conditions are not optimal for driving the max speed limit, which means technically, if you are on wet roads and crash, then you were driving too fast for the road conditions, probly not what you want to hear, but,, sorry. you'd be guilty in okla.

[ottocon]

In CT it would be Traveling too fast for Conditions.Same charge we use in accidents in snow or ice storms.You can always plead not guilty,but you have to decide if the day off from work is worth it.

[L-1]

Ditto for California. Out here its called driving at an unsafe speed for conditions and is a law that a lot of motorists have difficulty understanding. What it comes down to is - even if you are well within the speed limit, if you are unable to maintain control of your car or are unable to avoid debris or a vehicle in the road, you are driving too fast.

This sounds like a ticket you need to pay.

[formercop]

In Ontario, it's called "speed too fast for road conditions"

Next time it rains/snows/whatever, slow down.

[Welpe]

Ditto for California. Out here its called driving at an unsafe speed for conditions and is a law that a lot of motorists have difficulty understanding. What it comes down to is - even if you are well within the speed limit, if you are unable to maintain control of your car or are unable to avoid debris or a vehicle in the road, you are driving too fast.

This sounds like a ticket you need to pay.

Is that the California Basic Speed law?

[Bodie]

Ohio

In this State it's "Failure To Control" in adverse weather conditions you don't dare say "I was driving the speed limit". Pay the ticket and hope the other driver doesn't sue you and your insurance company.
Your friend gave you bad advice and is probably a poor driver under the same conditions.

[JHoek]

it is ridiculous for me to have gotten a ticket for the wreck since I had hydroplaned and there would not have been a possible way for me to control my car in such a circumstance.

There sure is a way to keep control of your car in such a circumstance. Had you been going slower, you would not have hydroplaned...pretty simple, you were going to fast for the road conditions.

I write this ticket whenever someone loses control and wrecks.

[hemicop]

In Az. it's 28-701.a "Failure to control speed of vehicle to avoid a collision." Essentially you're required to keep the veh. at a speed where you have control of it. (obviously). What people don't understand with these kinds of statutes is that the LEO isn't saying you were speeding, only that you were at such a speed as to not properly maintain control of the vehicle. The accident is evidence itself of that fact, no matter what your statements at the scene were. Sorry . I'd just go & pay the ticket.

[APDSgt]

Same for Florida too - you'd be cited for "Too Fast for Conditions" or "Careless Driving".

If the roads are wet YOU have to slow to a safe speed to maintain control of your car.

[Chief Wiggum]

Sorry, but you were Too Fast for Conditions. Save your time and just pay it.

[ctt]

Same for Florida too - you'd be cited for "Too Fast for Conditions" or "Careless Driving".

If the roads are wet YOU have to slow to a safe speed to maintain control of your car.

What if the road isn't wet up until the point where he runs into a small area that that has collected water?

[Bodie]

In that case fight the ticket but all bets are that isn't the case or officer would not have written ticket ...... Simple ENOUGH ??????

[PhilipCal]

Ticket for hydroplaining.

The Vehicle Codes of every state require a driver to drive with due regard to road conditions. Hydroplaining can be very easily avoided by adjusting your speed to the existing conditions. In fact, the law requires it. The decision whether or not to fight the citation is yours alone.