Should I plead "nolo"? What exactly does that entail?

I was in a car twist of fate a couple of weeks ago. I was traveling on a road and was about to cross an intersection (I have a green light) but there was a lot of traffic around me, and I be going uphill, so I couldn't see anything on the road I was about to cross over. I concluded up entering the intersection and colliding into an ambulance that was traveling on the other road. I couldn't see them coming, and I couldn't hear the sirens (Although I'm not sure that they were even on). Naturally, they had a red reading light but went through it because they couldn't see me, because of the cars in the turn lane beside me and because my car be low to the ground. The only real damage be to my car, and no one was surrounded by the ambulance and the call they were responding to was after that cancelled.

Anyway, I've been told to plead "nolo" since this is my first offense. I'm pretty much a model citizen and student (I'm 18 and a senior in high school). What will start if I plead this way? What exactly does it mean?
"Nolo contendere" means "I do not contest it".

Legally, it have exactly the same effect as a plea of guilty, except that the plea can't be used against you in a civil lawsuit (If the ambulance company sues you, for example).

That being said, I would not be so rapid to plead to this. You've been charged, I assume, with failure to abandon to an emergency vehicle? You have, from the posted facts, a good defense. The layout of the intersection and the surrounding traffic blocked your view of the ambulance, you didn't hear a siren, and you have a green light. While there is an obligation to concede to an ambulance, they are also supposed NOT to go through a red unless it's safe to do so.

Have you discussed the case near a lawyer? In your shoes, I'd be inclined to fight this ticket.

Richard
No contest scheme you will get the same punishment as if you plead guilty. It counts as a guilty plea in civil court most times, why would you take-home pay if you didn't do it, is the thinking. So while no contest sounds better, it's not really.