Janitor Bob Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 OK...I had to share with all of you....My daughter is 16 and had her license for about a month.....she was in a minor accident...unavoidable, but she was cited for assured clear distance. I have to go to juvenile court with her tomorrow....I know I will have to pay a fine for the citation as well as court costs, but have no clue as to how much....does anybody have any idea what it might cost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maribeth Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 OK...I had to share with all of you....My daughter is 16 and had her license for about a month.....she was in a minor accident...unavoidable, but she was cited for assured clear distance. I have to go to juvenile court with her tomorrow....I know I will have to pay a fine for the citation as well as court costs, but have no clue as to how much....does anybody have any idea what it might cost? JB, does your city/county have a web site that might have the fines/penalties listed? I would imagine that those items are determined locally and would not be the same throughout the country. Good luck tomorrow. Maribeth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 No idea, that is a local issue, JB. BUT, I will say, YOU should not be the one paying, SHE should be. And if you ask nicely, the Judge should be willing to let her pay it out over time, or perhaps by doing some community service. But it is IMPORTANT that she learn now that she is going to have to live with the consequences of her decisions. She did not mean to cause the accident, that's why it's called an accident. But she DID contribute to the cause, by not maintaining a safe distance, which is a very common event, especially with young people. They all think that their 'quick reflexes' will take care of any problems. Let her face her consequences now, and she will learn a good lesson. Fix it for her, by you paying her fine, and she learns little, except to look to others to take care of her when she messes up. Go with her, support her with your presence, but let her grow through this learning experience. She's not a child, when she is behind the wheel. Lives depend on her ability to follow the rules of safe driving. A little pain now may save her life another time. Just my 2¢. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel in Hawaii Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 Sorry, but the only ticket I have ever recieved had the fine plainly indicated on the ticket, no court required, they even provided an envelope to mail it in. That was for an expired registration on my MOM's car while visiting up in Maine. It's been years so I don't remember what the cost was either. Yes, I am one of those slow pokes everyone hates on the road as I actually follow speed limits to the letter. I never am speeding, yet every time I see a police officer my heart goes nuts, one of these days I wouldn't be surprised if they cause me to have a heart attack, especially when they go zooming by me on their motorcycles and I haven't noticed them before they do. Sorry to hear about your daughter, I don't know if your daughter was as nervous as I was when I got my drivers license, I was more afraid of my dad than the police back then. He would have killed me if I had the situation you list above and I am NOT kidding. Some people have the fear of god, I had the fear of DAD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted January 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 No idea, that is a local issue, JB. BUT, I will say, YOU should not be the one paying, SHE should be. And if you ask nicely, the Judge should be willing to let her pay it out over time, or perhaps by doing some community service. But it is IMPORTANT that she learn now that she is going to have to live with the consequences of her decisions. She did not mean to cause the accident, that's why it's called an accident. But she DID contribute to the cause, by not maintaining a safe distance, which is a very common event, especially with young people. They all think that their 'quick reflexes' will take care of any problems. Let her face her consequences now, and she will learn a good lesson. Fix it for her, by you paying her fine, and she learns little, except to look to others to take care of her when she messes up. Go with her, support her with your presence, but let her grow through this learning experience. She's not a child, when she is behind the wheel. Lives depend on her ability to follow the rules of safe driving. A little pain now may save her life another time. Just my 2¢. I agree 100%...but here is the kicker....she has no job...although she has submitted many applications....So she can not possibly pay....I assume that, until all costs are paid, she will not be able to drive....and that hurts me, not her...as I will be back to driving her around instead of doing taxes. I am hoping that the judge gives her priveleges to drive to and from school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAMalody Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 <<<I agree 100%...but here is the kicker....she has no job...although she has submitted many applications....So she can not possibly pay....I assume that, until all costs are paid, she will not be able to drive....and that hurts me, not her...as I will be back to driving her around instead of doing taxes. I am hoping that the judge gives her priveleges to drive to and from school. >>> How would any other person pay a fine when they did not have a job...maybe this is part of the lesson. Other than school (and that is questionable) why do you have to drive her anywhere. I'll bet if she misses a few functions, parties, etc., she will be a lot more careful behind the wheel. I doubt that the judge will suspend her license, that will probably be up to you, the Dad. If you should "suspend" her license, you may want to consider only letting her drive you places. In that way she will maintain and improve some of her driving skills and you will be able to monitor her progress and give good advice, when necessary. This is all easy for us to say because it is you. However, as a father of four, I can tell you the price is cheaper now than later. Every time I chose to step in, it usually came back to bite me in the foot. We don't have to go out of our way to "hold our kids back," but unless the pain of changing is less than the pain of the status quo, they will not change, there is no reason for them to do so. Good luck as you walk down this path, it will probably be more taxing than tax season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 JB, if you make that point, I am almost certain he will allow her 'necessary' driving. As for not having a job, many judges allow teens who are in school to do some community service instead of a fine. Especially if they do not have a job, and it is their first offense. Ask for that. Even use the 'poor orphan' bit if it helps. Just don't expect her to get off scott free, or for YOU to pay up. Tell the judge, "Your Honor, if you set a $ fine, she does not have any way to pay it, so I would have to pay, and that does not teach her anything good. Give her Community Service, and she will learn about consequences, and benefit from that. Perhaps working at the local ER, where she might see some of the worst results of careless driving? That would teach her in more than one way." Judges are just people, and most of them will respond in a positive way to a parent who is trying to raise a responsible and law-abiding child. They see way too many of the other kind, after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAMalody Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Good ideas, KC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneInAlabama Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 JB, KC and MAMalody gave you VERY good advice. You cannot do better than follow it. What she learns from this experience will affect her the rest of her life. Sometimes the right thing to do is extremely hard to do, but it pays. Gene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAXBILLY Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 A success story: I have a friend whose son caused an accident where two people were hurt but not seriously. The judge gave him community service at the local hospital. He did his time, got interested in becoming a nurse and a few years later became a doctor. taxbilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted January 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 A success story: I have a friend whose son caused an accident where two people were hurt but not seriously. The judge gave him community service at the local hospital. He did his time, got interested in becoming a nurse and a few years later became a doctor. taxbilly Fine was $25.00 and court costs were $75.00. A new set of laws were passed last year in Ohio. One of them states that if under age 17, any violations within six months of receiving your license results in mandatory 6 month suspension.....Judge did not agree with it, but he had no choice...No driving until July 17th, unless I am in the car with her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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