Q&A - Fail to Keep Right Collision

Double Solid Yellow LineI was issued a ticket two weeks after my accident for "failure to keep right." It was delivered to my home by two officers from the detachment in the city I live in. The officer that attended the accident scene was from a detachment equal distance away from the accident. Is it not his responsibility to deliver the ticket to me in person as he was the one who took my statement? Why do I have to travel one hour over the same road in winter conditions to fight this ticket in his city when he had other officers take care of his responsiblity from the city I live in? I was on the right side of the road when I lost control.

I think that I see three questions in your post:

1) Why was the ticket issued by officers from a city other than my own?

It is typical for the investigation to be managed by the detachment in the jurisdiction where the collision occurred. If it is not reported to that detachment, officers from the nearest detachment to the suspect and witnesses will be asked to make inquiries. If the decision is made to issue a ticket, the detachment managing will ask that nearby detachment to serve a ticket for them.

2) Why do you have to go to court in the other city's court rather than attend at the court house closest to you?

Again, that is currently the way the system works. Disputes take place in the court whose jurisdiction applies to the location of the collision. There are changes on the horizon that would end this. Teleconferencing can be done in limited situations now and an overhaul of the ticket dispute system that will allow for disputes to be entered in writing and adjudicated by the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles is being considered.

3) You were driving on the right side of the road when you lost control.

It's what happened after you lost control that prompted the ticket. If losing control meant that you failed to continue driving in the right hand half of the roadway, including driving off of the road completely either to the left or to the right, the offence has occurred.

 

... it would be interesting to have more details!

How did this driver lose control and apparently end up on the wrong side of the road?

Also, why did he think the ticket was worth fighting?