My citation reads "driving at unsafe speed for conditions (ice) causing a 3 vehicle crash" I wasn't speeding at all, just that I was unaware that the bridge was icy and then skidded into the jersey barrier. What are my options?

You must be getting wrongfuly nailed. If you weren't speeding or anything and you were unaware it must be an accident. If you wan't to question your citation just call the number or go to the place specified on it and they will probably give you more information if you can appeal.

The law in each state states: the driver of every vehicle shall have his/her vehicle under control at all times.

You apparently were traveling way too fast, even the speed limit, for the road and weather conditions. driving defensively is being prepared for what may lie ahead. this includes ice on the road and fog in the air.

If your automobile collided with the other three, first, then you are at-fault.

In adverse weather and road conditions, most people ignore defensive driving and drive as thou it was a sunny day. this is what causes traffic accidents.

It doesn't say that you were speeding, it says that the speed at which you WERE driving was unsafe to be driving at due to road conditions (an icy road), whether you were aware of it or not.

You can try to fight it, but I'm willing to bet that there were signs posted stating "Bridge Ices Before Road".

Bend over and lube up.

Any competent driver would know that the weather conditions made it possible for there to be ice, at least (and especially) on a bridge.

There are signs all around saying, "Caution : Bridges freeze before road", all over the place and even if there was no sign, any competent driver also knows that.

Any competent driver knows to slow down in icy conditions, or even conditions that may possibly be icy.


The conclusion; you either were negligent in the operation of your vehicle OR are totally incompetent. Either way, you're busted.

by john pennington54 on Feb 2, 2007 at 4:43 pm

"The law in each state states: the driver of every vehicle shall have his/her vehicle under control at all times."

Very true, I once lost control of my vehicle on a two-lane back road, around 10 at night, no other vehicles, and slid into the ditch. The towing service called the sheriff's dept. and I got what's called a "basic speed" ticket (in Michigan). What it means is that I was driving too fast for the conditions of the road at the time of the crash, even though I was traveling 30 mph UNDER the speed limit.

Another example is when I was doing an internship with a Sheriff Dept. in Western Michigan and this guy spun his car out on a curve and it went backwards down an enbankment with it's rear end into a swamp. The FTO asked what the best ticket in this situation would be; careless driving, or basic speed, and since the road was wet, basic speed was the more suitable option.

Basically, you have to stay in control of your vehicle, even if it means driving 10mph on the expressway. Just because there's a speed LIMIT, doesn't mean you have to drive that fast.