OHTA.ca

On the back of a yahoo video from the states, where a guy was stopped for speeding, whilst trying to get his wife to hospital who was in labour and imminent.

The guy was apparently around the corner from the hospital and pleaded with the cop saying that he can make it, cop said he'd called an EMT and also says , they will get you there quicker and safer

and they'll be here soon, mother goes into labour

and you can hear her saying she's not breathing, cops give cpr and babys starts crying

So... this is the question

1* would you have let the guy go

2* given the guy an escort

3* given the guy a ride

4* or done exactly what the police in the states did

5* other

txs

oh would you have still given them a ticket AND could they have fought and won... no seriously

Id argue the decision would vary on a case by case basis. People in stressful situations could easily drive beyond their ability and/or limits and obviously the last thing you want in a medical emergency is a crash. An escort also probably wouldnt be a wise option either since you still have an emotional person behind the wheel and the officer could face a lot of liability were something to go wrong. Personally, if theyre only a short distance away from the hospital, Id just have the driver follow me the rest of the way at the speed limit.

One of the few defences for speeding is necessity. If the driver were charged, he might be able to successfully argue that the medical situation with his wife outweighed the risk to the general public. Hed have to demonstrate though that the situation was unexpected and there were no reasonable alternatives available (i.e. why not take an ambulance from home).

Watched a video where Polish Police stop a speeding vehicle, and they rush the mother & child to the hospital inside their own vehicle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoxL0yRAesM