Legal Question in Traffic Law in North Carolina

An unusual accident scene

Recently I was at a stop sign waiting on another driver to turn left. I watched him start to take off and started moving, then without warning he just slammed on the brake. It was too sudden to react so I bumped him good, but I doubt I was moving more than 2-3 mph at the time. We had just taken off. The other driver got out and so did I, at which time we surved for damage. I was in a borrowed vehicle, already beat up a little, and saw nothing. The other vehicle was also old and showed obvious previous damage. There really was nothing there, so I asked if he wanted to call police. He then looked at me and said ''Give me $100 and I'll act like nothing happened''. I had no money and wouldn't have done that anyway, and told him I had none. He then said ''How about Friday? I'll give you 'till then to get it'', and then dropped it to $50. I said ''whatever you want to do''. At that point, he just left. He knows where I live, but nothing else. Not name, tag number, nothing else. What do I make of this? Is it against the law to try and bribe someone at the scene of an accident? I do not intend on paying him anyway, but I'd like to know.


Asked on 3/28/04, 11:20 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Jim Griffin The Law Office of James L. Griffin

Re: An unusual accident scene

Sounds like you and the other driver entered into an oral contract-not a "bribe." Police do not have to be called for every minor fender-bender. You hit him from the rear-He offered to settle for either $50 or $100. You agreed. Contract. He probably saved you a failure to avoid an accident or similar traffic violation by not calling the police. You can do nothing but if he follows up, he will probably win.

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Answered on 3/30/04, 8:45 am


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