RCW 46.61.400 Driving too fast for conditions

[Mikea621]

A pickup I was following on the freeway rear ended a car he was following and in turn due to the short warning I rear ended him (not too hard) however the State
Patrol issued a speed too fast for conditions citation. It was a company van that seemed ok at the time however afterwards had brake trouble so it was taken in
within a week or so of the accident and it required some brake work. Would it be any help to contest the ticket claiming that if the van needed brake repairs then
possibly my inability to stop was less my fault or not my fault?

 

[disagreeable]

Nope, the companies failure to maintain the vehicle does not mitigate your responsibility to make sure it is safe and you drive safely. The only time I have seen the argument work was when I ripped up the undercarriage of a car after spinning out on the highway in heavy traffic. I managed it, with almost no steering as a the hub assembly snapped in half when I hit the brakes after being cut off. The first thing I did was offer the trooper proof I had just had the tires rotated and the vehicle inspected and aligned underneath. At that point he asked if I was making an insurance claim. When I advised him I was going to repair or scrap the vehicle, he said he would call AAA for me and was not going to make a report of the incident.

 

[mightymoose]

The brakes have nothing to do with it. You were either too fast for conditions or following too closely. The vehicle in front of you having rear ended someone does not make the other driver responsible for you rear ending them either.
The citation you got is typical in this situation.