I got pulled over and recieved a speeding ticket for rushing my son to the Emergency Room??

Question

My wife and I woke up about 2am to my son having a difficult time breathing, so we grabbed him got in the car and drove to the hospital which is only about 5 miles down the road. Halfway there I see cop flashing his lights and I pull over and I explain what is going on, so he follows me to the hospital, DOESN'T ESCORT ME AT ALL!!, and i drop my wife and son at the front doors and i park the car. The cop tells me stay in the car and asks for my insurace and stuff. He comes back with a ticket and asks why I didn't call 911. He says I could've killed bystanders and my wife and kid and that if my son would've quit breathing i would have been in a bad situation. I told him I am trained and certified in Adult and child CPR because i'm in the Air Force, i also explained that i didn't think i had enough time to wait for an ambulance, so i rushed to the ER myself, like any other father would do. So I got the ticket, and I was going 76 in a 55. This is my first ticket. I am fighting it, Advice??

Answer 1

Go to court. You don't need an attorney. Plead NoLo Contendere which is a plea for first time offenders to keep points off your license. Explain what happened to the judge and ask him/her to reduce the ticket. You were in the wrong for speeding and reckless, so there's no need to try and weasel out of it. Just be nice and humble and maybe the judge with cut you a break. Good luck!! :)

Answer 2

The officer is right - doing 75 in a 55 is dangerous. In your rush to get to the hospital, you could have caused an accident and killed your family or someone else's family. As an insurance adjuster, I have investigated many fatal car accidents at speed well below 75. The vast majority of the fatal car accidents I have investigated happen at well under 55. And in none of the accidents did any of the drivers mean for the accident to happen for for someone to die.

You were wrong.

The speed limit sign does not say "Speed limit 55 - unless you have a really good reason to ignore it".

By choosing to rush to the hospital - you endangered your family and every other person on the road.

You should have called 911. While waiting for the ambulance, if your son stopped breathing you could have used your CPR training. You can't do CPR and drive at the same time.

You panicked and made the wrong decision.

Next time call 911.

Answer 3

Thanks for all the answers. I get it, next time call 911. And yes i did break the law, but the cop could have been a little more respectful toward us. And for the CPR stuff, my SON WASN'T NEEDING CPR, THE COP SAID THAT I DIDN'T KNOW CPR, AND IF MY SON HAD NEEDED IT, HE WOULD'VE HAD A SHORT TIME TO LIVE. AND ******' YES this really happened. Why would I make up a story like this and post it up here for people's advice? I didn't know they don't do escorts anymore. On top of it all, the officer made me stay in the car while my son was in the hospital. We could've easily done that in the hospital. I've had bad experiences with 911 and how long it takes them so taht is why i didn't call, PLUS he is my son, i would give up everything for him, even my LIFE. I would do this again in a heart beat.

Answer 4

Well, you violated Rule #1 of all CPR training I know- you call for transport, period.

The issue is NOT 'can I get to the hospital quickly', it is 'how do I get the best care on the victim the quickest?" With troubled breathing, paramedics can show up quickly, do the appropriate assessments, give the right care, and transport him safely.

You basically panicked, like oh-so-many people do in this situation. Because of your panic/shock.stress, you were probably not driving real safely and really deserved to get pulled over.

By the way- I don't think ANY police 'escort' people anymore- too risky for you and them. Flashing lights and sirens protect the THEM- NOT vehicles in front of or behind them. I know ours do not.



You really don't have a leg to stand on. I would plead guilty and ask for the mercy of the court. You were an idiot, but you were an idiot for the sake of your child.



I hope your son is OK!

Answer 5

First off, alot of agencies no longer provide escorts because of the liablitlity in the event there are accidents. In the past when officers have provided an escort in an emergency situation, people move over for the officer and his lights and sirens but as soon as the officer passes by they pull back into traffic and hit the vehicle being escorted killing them all. I tell people all the time that call my emergency dispatch telling me that they are making an emergency run to a doctors office or ER that I can not give them permission to break the law. I also tell them that I will call EMS for them.

You have no grounds to fight this ticket, you could have killed your wife and child among others in the event that you crahsed.

Answer 6

Call 911 next time. Are you a trained emergency vehicle driver? Do you have lights and sirens on your car? Are you medically trained to care for your son while in route? How often does your son suffer from these medical condition? Is it a regular occurance? Or was this a first time thing? If you're trained in CPR, then why were you driving and not your wife? Its tough to give cpr from behind the wheel.

I hate to say this, but you were wrong. Understandably so, mind you. I would probably have done the same thing, and I too would have been wrong as well. Your son was the only one in danger at first, however, with you driving this way, you also endangered yourself, your wife, your son, and innocent bystanders.

Answer 7

I have run across this situation several times in 30 years. Depending on traffic, I would either escort, or drive the people to the hospital. If it truly was an emergency, no citations were issued. If it wasn't an emergency, then the pen came out. Doing 21 mph over the limit didn't get you to the hospital any faster. In fact, it took longer because you were stopped.

Answer 8

In my state, at least, that's reckless, not just speeding. Talk to an attorney. If he's gonna be a jerk about it (and he has some good points, although I'm 100% certain I would have done the same), then you NEED someone who knows the system to get you through it.
He can do it. You broke the law, and your excuse is good, but not ironclad---you COULD have hurt someone. If he's absolutely taking you to court over it, get a lawyer. You can do without, but it'll be a whole lot more difficult.

Answer 9

Do what you feel you need to do. The cop was within his rights to ticket you. The judge may or may not agree with you. I understand your point of view (except that while you say you are trained in CPR, you were driving, not your wife) Good luck.

Answer 10

First ask for an extension to pay the ticket, then file for a trial by written declaration a week or so prior to the new deadline. The cop who pulled you over will have to file a written response as well and 9 out of 10 times they don't want to waste their time and chances are after a couple of months he won't remember you or the details of that night and the ticket will be dismissed.