Got in an accident, since lady left in an ambulance, a ticket had to be written..

Call your shop steward IMMEDIATELY! Not as in tomorrow, or the next day or next week....but NOW. Do not SAY anything, SIGN anything, or ADMIT to anything without Union Representation.

You're not the first person to ever get into an accident with Coke, and you won't be the last. I'm sure you're shop steward went through this process many times with other drivers and he can tell you what's probably gonna happen. You most likely won't get fired, but you MAY be put on probation though.

As far as the ticket, it's gonna be on your record whether your found guilty or not. Coke will keep all records of any accidents. I would also fight the ticket as well. Talk to the Union and they will answer any questions about what your options will be.

 

Sorry to hear buddy, I know how you feel. I was fixing to get on with Estes a few years back when I got a warning ticket in OK that cost me that job. Good luck

 

I would have asked the cop why isn't he giving the ticket to the driver who made the uturn? It seems it was her fault for the accident, not you.

 

Dashcam solves all these issues.

 

What were you driving? I don't usually have trouble seeing past a pickup truck in front of me is why I ask.

Anyway, you were following too close. Fight it for sure, but learn from it.

 

If you were doing 45 and still couldn't stop you were following too close.

 

Bingo ...

 

It always annoys me to hear a cop say "a ticket had to be written". That's just a cop out they use. If someone actually did something wrong, fine, write a ticket. There is no "had to be written" law anywhere. If there is, there should not be. If the cop is really going to defend you in court, he really should not have written the ticket. Seems pretty simple to me.

 

You won't be fired for one accident at coke. They're pretty good about that. You'll go up in front of their accident review board and a group of impartial peers (comprised of other drivers, safety people and bosses) will rule on whether it's a preventable or not and then "coach you up".

That being said, I'd still get a lawyer and have it dropped down to the lowest possible charge you can.

 

You may be able to get legal advice or a lawyer for free through the Union. Call your Union Local to see if they offer this. UPS Teamsters for example offers free legal advise.

Teamsters Online: Teamster Privilege: Legal Service

 

Let me tell you in advance, as others have said, the officer will NOT help you. Take it from a man who just had to write a 700 dollar check to the State of Commiefornia for being in the third lane to avoid an accident. Grand total of maybe 10 seconds and dude already had his lights on. Said he saw what happened and that I should fight the ticket, he would testify as to what he saw. He testified that he saw me cruising in the third lane for about 10 miles.

My attorney asked him if what you're saying is true, why did you wait 10 miles to initiate a traffic stop.

His answer? CHP had several trucks pulled over on the shoulder doing inspections, and the second lane was full of people who left HOV and lane 4 to try and exit...

Interesting, because that is exactly why I was in the third lane(and again only for about 10 seconds. All of which with my right turn indicator on so they knew I was only bypassing a potential fatal accident waiting to happen.)