In Missouri, drivers are obligated to operate their vehicles or automobiles in compliance with the traffic laws in place. The police issue different types of car accident tickets to drivers who fail to exercise the highest degree of care while driving on the roadway.

A driver violates Missouri driving statutes if they;

(i) operate a vehicle or automobile in a manner that can be reasonably considered reckless and imprudent;

(ii) if they drive a vehicle or automobile at careless, imprudent and unacceptable rate of speed;

(iii) and if they operate a vehicle or automobile in a manner that endangers the property or safety of other persons.

Some of the common car accident tickets issued in Missouri are, “Reckless & Imprudent Driving”, Following too closely”, Leaving the Scene of an Accident”, “Failure to Yield “, and others. Under Missouri Laws 304.017, a driver is cited for following too closely if he or she follows another vehicle, with the exception of trucks, more closely than is reasonably safe and prudent and without regard for the speed at which the vehicle is moving and traffic conditions of the roadway.

A traffic ticket for an accident caused by reckless and imprudent driving or following too closely in Missouri is classified as a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail and a fine of up to $1000.

When a driver is issued with a traffic ticket or speeding ticket involving an accident, a number of points will be added to their driving record. The number of points accumulated will depend on the type of ticket issued. For instance, being cited for following too closely and failure to yield adds 2 to 3 demerit points to the driver’s driving record. Traffic tickets for reckless and imprudent driving resulting in an accident add 2 to 4 points to a driver’s driving record, while a traffic ticket for leaving the scene of an accident adds 6 to 12 points depending on the jurisdiction in which the ticket is issued.

A traffic ticket issued by a Missouri state trooper and the case is being determined in a circuit court is considered a state violation and on the other hand, a ticket issued by a city police officer with the case being prosecuted in a municipal court is a municipal ordinance violation.  An individual convicted for a state violation involving car accident gets 12 points added to their driving record, a one-year revocation of their driver’s license, and will not be eligible for a hardship license. A conviction for a municipal ordinance violation will have 6 points added to the offender’s driving record but the offender will be eligible to apply for a hardship license. Drivers who are involved in an accident without insurance will have their driver’s license suspended.

A “Leaving the scene of an accident” traffic ticket in Missouri is considered a class A misdemeanor

which comes with a maximum penalty of a $1000 fine and/or a jail term not exceeding one year. However, this charge can be elevated into a class E felony if;

(i) the accident cause serious injury, substantial risk of death or actual death to another person;

(ii) it resulted in property damage worth more than $1,000;

(iii) the defendant has been previously  convicted for “leaving the scene of accident”.

A driver issued with a car accident traffic ticket in Missouri can negotiate with the courts for a reduction of the ticket to a non-moving violation that won’t have an effect on their driving record. Missouri courts may consider the case and make a determination based on the offender’s driving record, age, course of action after the accident, casualties involved if any, vehicle insurance and other factors.

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