Careless driving (car) advice?

[Onagoth]

Careless driving

Anyone care to comment on their experience using a traffic ticket company like xcoppers vs fighting a careless charge on their own?

The consequence of a conviction is pretty steep, though the case against my friend is pretty weak....I think I think. We are still waiting for the disclosure.

Background...it was a minor rear-ending, no injuries. my friend made no statement at the police station and the charge was laid based on the statement of the other party and the damage present to their vehicle. His vehicle was undamaged.

Xcoppers charges a $500 flat fee, and they have had success in careless driving cases. Anyone have comments on this company specifically. The collision was in K/W

 

[Onagoth]

Re: Careless driving

bump

 

[GreyGhost]

Re: Careless driving

Typically in these situations, the cops are forced to charge careless, but drop it to following too closely in court. That's all xcopper will get you and you are very likely to get it yourself. I have never heard anything very good about xcopper, but do not have any personal experience with them. I would attend first attendance on my own and see if the prosecutor is game for following too closely. If the prosecutor is sticking with careless, I would hire some alot better (and unfortunately likely more expensive) than xcopper.

 

[geoff-9]

Re: Careless driving

the officer is not forced to lay it, but it is common practice to lay the careless charge. the courts understand this and very often reduce it in court to following too closely.
i would not hire a paralegal.

 

[Onagoth]

Re: Careless driving

What is he is not willing to accept following too close? And would want to fight the charge in court? Does anyone have any comments on that?

 

[Ugur Dinch]

Re: Careless driving

Careless is 6points and $875 fine. Whats much worse is the insurance when having a Careless charge. Im 22 on 5yr experience, they ask for a regular Mazda 3, 15K/year. And most of the insurers won't even insure you. On bikes, it's a raise 50% and up, again if you can find someone to insure.

If your friend is still planning on driving after the sentence, I suggest to fight it by all means. I'd look for a proper lawyer, who is familiar with judges and crown attorney of the court that your friend is assigned to. Xcoppers and such stuff have 10 cases at a time, and I don't really think they try very hard.

Especially if this is the first incident, there will be a big discount for sure.

 

[geoff-9]

Re: Careless driving

$490 is the price for a careless charge.
as i said request a court date, get hold of the accident report. make a meeting with the prosecutor far before the trial and try to bring it down to following too closely ($110). its a very common practice to do a careless charge for the person at fault in an accident and the courts know it.
if the prosecutor refuses to accept it then think about a lawyer.

 

[Ugur Dinch]

Re: Careless driving

$490 is the price for a careless charge.

**** I got scammed.
http://www.ontariotraffictickets.com/tickets/careless-driving.htm

 

[geoff-9]

Re: Careless driving

how did you get scammed? what was the price on the ticket from the officer.

if you received a summons to court on the roadside with no set fine then that means it was a community safety zone, the courts decide that fine. same process as the stunt driving charge or no insurance ticket etc. if you received a standard ticket similar to a stop sign or a disobey sign etc ticket then it was not a community safety zone and it would have a set fine of $490.

 

[Ugur Dinch]

Re: Careless driving

how did you get scammed? what was the price on the ticket from the officer.

if you received a summons to court on the roadside with no set fine then that means it was a community safety zone, the courts decide that fine. same process as the stunt driving charge or no insurance ticket etc. if you received a standard ticket similar to a stop sign or a disobey sign etc ticket then it was not a community safety zone and it would have a set fine of $490.

I had to go hardcore and visit 1 station and 1 jail for a few days lol there was no receiving ticket.

I had 3 traffic charges and 2 criminal traffic charges, which in the end all went down to Careless at pre-trial and the penalty was $750 + some fees. And they asked me to pay $875 in the next 6months.

 

[Onagoth]

Re: Careless driving

As an update, my friend found an experienced para-legal that he is meeting with tonight. They're going all the way to trial if they have too.

 

[geoff-9]

Re: Careless driving

I had to go hardcore and visit 1 station and 1 jail for a few days lol there was no receiving ticket.

I had 3 traffic charges and 2 criminal traffic charges, which in the end all went down to Careless at pre-trial and the penalty was $750 + some fees. And they asked me to pay $875 in the next 6months.

sounds like you got lucky, not scammed.

 

[Ugur Dinch]

Re: Careless driving

sounds like you got lucky, not scammed.

Thanks to the lawyer and my $5K =) brings luck for sure =)