Civic Forumz - Honda Civic Forum - Got in an accident and got a ticket...

So i just got in an accident, and i got a ticket and was said to be at fault.

Exactly what happened, i was making a right turn on red, which was legal (No sign saying otherwise), i made the turn, was in my lane, and was accelerating because traffic was coming up behind. The guy in the left lane decided to change lanes and clipped my bumper, sending me off the road. He was in a van, i was in a honda Fit.

So i get back on the road, pull into the next driveway, he does the same, and decide to call the police (Since my insurance is high enough, i dont need to get a "leaving the scene" ticket, even though he said he wouldnt call, who knows what he might have decided tomrorow). Cop comes, talks to the guy, he says he hit me in the intersection. Then i explain my side, and she says since i made a turn on a red, im at fault. I tried to explain the turn was incidental and not the cause of the accident since i was already well into my lane and on the street, and she could see where i got hit and left the road, as there was some plastic still on the road and tiremarks on the grass. She said she believes it happened in the intersection, wrote up the accident, and gave me a failure to yeild at a red light. I didnt feel like arguing but i told her ill take the ticket and then take it into the court, but not set a court date, since i didnt want to make the other people have to show up and call them a liar in court, they were nice enough, i think they were just confused as to what happened, they were old people. Plus i dont think the cop would magically back me up in court since she didnt on the side of the road, so id probably still lose.

My question is, can i go in and explain this ticket away at the court? Im going to go and try it anyway, but i just wanted to know how much success ill have... I dont have any witnesses (everyone who slowed down to look left instead of stopping and waiting, id be clear for sure then) and i dont have any solid proof, other than the fact that if he had of hit me in the intersection id have more than just a dent and scrape marks, plus his drivers side front end would be screwed instead of his passenger rear end.

I just cant afford to plead guilty unconditionally and have this on my insurance. The accident isnt a big deal, i still have my one free accident left, and im not going to claim the damages because all i need is a bumper and a fender, which will probably be cheaper or just over my 500 dollar deductible (ill put them on myself), but im pretty sure a failure to yeild at a red light will kill my already too high insurance rates.