Things to know about having a car accident in Florida

Did you know that the chances of you winning a ticket you fight in court are in your favor?

The worst thing you can do after receiving a ticket for an auto accident is not fight it in court. The reason for this is that in Florida the officer that issued the ticket is actually the one that carries the burden of proof. If an officer feels you’re at fault in a car accident he needs to be able to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt in court. He must use witnesses and other drivers to prove his case.

Very rarely does an infraction or arrest arise from a car accident. Normally when this occurs it is probably because there was a DUI, or someone was running a red light, speeding, driving with a suspended license, or even not behaving properly with law enforcement. In most cases the officer knows that it will not be fought in court and that nothing further will be done past the scene of the accident if no arrest occurs because people don’t like the hassle that comes with fighting a ticket in court.

From that point forward deciding whether to fight a traffic violation in court really boils down to whether you as the victim is willing to suffer the consequences of not fighting versus the sacrifices you will need to make to fight it.

In some cases if you do not fight it you will get points on your license and your insurance could go up. If you do fight it then you will need to take time off from work. Sometimes the sacrifice is worth it. You may also find it helpful to know that, after an accident it is better to say anything since everything you say after the accident cannot be used in court. Everything said at the scene is privileged information and therefore it is not admissible in court. It’s been proven that the chances of  you winning a case you fight are high.