The police attend accidents to ensure:
- public safety
- to determine why the accident happened, and
- to determine who caused the accident or who was most at fault
After investigating the traffic accident, the officer makes a determination of who or what caused the accident, or who is most at fault.
If the police officer believes that one of the drivers committed a driving infraction, the officer may issue that driver a traffic ticket.
The officer does not have to issue a ticket, it is solely up to the officers discretion to issue a ticket.
Many times, police officers investigating traffic accidents give a careless driving ticket. The police officer has the option to give which ever ticket they feel fits the situation.