My Fault?

[VRabo]

What is the name of your state?OH
I was in a car accident today and need help with figuering out whose at fault. I was in the intersection turning left behind a car, a second after the light turned yellow the car infront of me turned left so i pulled completely into the intersection and began turning left. When all of a sudden I am hit by a car.
NOTE: The light was so that when the other car entered the intersection the light was red. The car was speeding and the damages on my minivan prove it. Furtheremore, the oncoming car did not honk, brake. Is it my fault that this accident occured, keep in mind that the other car was speeding, and running a red light.

 

[DaveNPhx]

I would say both drivers are equally at fault. You turned left when it was not safe to do so and the other driver ran a red light.

Damage doesn't prove the speed of either vehicle. All it demonstrates is the level of impact. Your word against his. From what you described, though, the speed didn't play a large part in this accident anyway. The root cause is a combination of someone trying to make a light and someone else not making sure it was safe to make a turn.

The key to this one is going to be whether the light truly was red or if it was still yellow when the other vehicle entered the intersection. Are there any witnesses?

 

[teflon_jones]

I was in a car accident today and need help with figuering out whose at fault. I was in the intersection turning left behind a car, a second after the light turned yellow the car infront of me turned left so i pulled completely into the intersection and began turning left.

You broke the law by doing this. If you were stopped and saw the light turn yellow you should have stayed where you were.

The car was speeding and the damages on my minivan prove it.

How did you determine this? Are you an accident reconstruction expert?

Furtheremore, the oncoming car did not honk, brake.

What does this have to do with anything?

Is it my fault that this accident occured, keep in mind that the other car was speeding, and running a red light.

You are at least partly at fault for this based on what you said. However, it's up to the police and insurance companies to determine who they feel is at fault.

Were you ticketed? Was the other driver ticketed? What does the police report say?

 

[VRabo]

I was ticketed, i do have a court date and am planning to fight the charges. No witnesses, this was my first accident and i was too shaken up to worry about witnesses at the time. Does Ohio law say something that i can expect other drivers to obey the law, or is that only in California? If you guys would give my more advice on how to deal with this, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[teflon_jones]

I was ticketed, i do have a court date and am planning to fight the charges. No witnesses, this was my first accident and i was too shaken up to worry about witnesses at the time. Does Ohio law say something that i can expect other drivers to obey the law, or is that only in California? If you guys would give my more advice on how to deal with this, it would be greatly appreciated.

What were you ticketed for? Was the other driver ticketed?

Just because somebody else breaks the law (assuming the other driver was ticketed), that doesn't clear you of responsiblity.

 

[VRabo]

I was ticketed for refusing to yeild, no idea whether the other driver was ticketed. Are there any arguments i can use so that my liscense isn't taken away?

 

[teflon_jones]

Why would your license get taken away for one ticket?

I don't see any successful arguments you can use to beat this ticket. You made an unsafe and illegal turn. You should have waited for the next time the light turned green.

 

[VRabo]

I was inside of the intersection when the light turned red (sorry i guess i wasnt clear about that). so i was trying to clear the zone. the reason why i think my liscence can be, at least, suspened is that there are two judges in juvinile court, one of which does suspened liscences from minors often.