Got Speeding Ticket on Way to ER

MK you can tell the judge why you was speeding and he may reduce or throw out the ticket. Just be truthful with him and show him the papers from the doctor and the hospital.
Hope that helps you.

JP

I challenged a ticket for an accident I was involved in that was not my fault. I still had to pay, but the judge did reduce the amount by half. It might be worth a shot to fight the ticket.

I would definitely fight the ticket and it shouldn't end up being any additional money. If it doesn't get completely dropped, the points and fine should actually drop down. Good luck and keep us posted!

I married my H.S. sweetheart as well and we're celebrating #12 this weekend :)

MK,

I have heard that a lot of times they will reduce the cost of the ticket sort of by default if you show up, and you certainly have a good reason. I'd go. It can't cost you any more money. And a PP was right--if the cop doesn't show, they will drop the whole thing.

I'm not stunned you got no sympathy. A friend of the family got a ticket while on her way to say goodbye to her 7 month old son in the hospital. She told the officer, she had to have been a mess, and he didn't care. I wish she'd fought the ticket just to teach that officer a lesson, but she obviously had far more on her mind. I realize some of these officers are hardcore on the rules, and my little brother is going to be a cop, but they need to learn to be human, as well, and 10 over in a 55 for an emergency doesn't seem to be drastically dangerous to me, so he should have let it go. A big, fat raspberry to your officer!

I work as an emergency and sheriff dispatcher. We always tell people no matter what the emergency don't speed because you can be pulled over. So, not to sound like it is your fault but as far as the fine goes if you go to court. It will really depend on the judge you get. If you lose you'll also be paying court costs and any other fees the judge tacks on, so it can cost way more than just the speeding ticket. Also, the judge may look at it that if it had been really very emergant an ambulance should have been called and avoided the whole thing. Weather or not you have insurance that could pay for that most likely won't come into play. So, you may get a judge who understands or one that follows the law no matter what. Sorry. Good luck

I would fight the ticket anyway. Take the papers and your ticket to court, and explain to the judge, that you wre only thinking of your child at the time, of transporting them. The judge should have some kind of concern.

T.

FIGHT IT!

I would even call the Captian of the police department and ask him why his officer would not help a sick child. My daughter started to slip into a comma when she was a few days old because of dehydration. I had tried to convience the nurses at the hospital that she was not getting milk and wanted formula to supplement for her. They treated me like I was an idiot even though this was my 3rd child. Any way she had to spend 2 days in icu becasue of the dehydration. That police man should have offered to help you get there quicker!

If the judge insist on keeping the fine he/she should at least reduce the fine.

Good Luck

J.

I don't know about cost, but it's worth the fight

I agree w/ Sarah S. My sister did the same thing and lost. She ended up paying $65.00 more than the ticket originally cost. Our brother-in-law is a cop and so were my dad and uncle's, and they all say ere on the side of caution.

I'm sorry for that! I cannot believe how inconsiderate the cops are these days. I had to rush my oldest to the ER when we lived in FL and in AL. We put on our flashers and sped past everyone. We did not get a ticket but it's because I don't think we passed any cops. I'll be interested to see if anyone has any advice. Getting your daughter to the ER was the most important thing but I'm sure they figure, if she isn't unconscious then they don't care. Pathetic....I would think because you had all that paperwork they would have just given you a warning but in my opinion, they could all care less about us as people and just want to get their ticket quota up. Good luck.

FIGHT IT!!! Take your paperwork to court with you to prove where you were going and why. It never costs more to fight a speeding ticket. I have gotten two (years ago) and fought both of them, one got thrown out and the other was reduced.
It just takes a little time out of your day and if you don't fight you won't know.
Good Luck

I recently got a speeding ticket in similar circumstances. My 8 year old daughter was running a temp of 103 and we were out of tylenol. She was too sick to go with me to the store, so I had to leave her home alone and was in a hurry to get to the grocery store when I got pulled over. I got a ticket, went to court and pled guilty. Then the judge asked me if I had anything to say and I told her why I was speeding and that it had been a while since I'd had a ticket. She knocked $100 off the fine after lecturing me about speeding when you're distracted and worried. Anyway, not saying that will happen with you, depending on what kind of judge you get, but it certainly made a big difference for me!

First of all, I have to say that really stinks! I can't believe the officer gave you a ticket while you were taking your little one to the ER, ESPECIALLY since you were only going 10 miles over the speed limit!
I have had to go to court to fight a ticket before. Because it will just be a district court where you will see a judge and have no representation, if the ticket is not overturned, you should not have to pay any other charges in addition to the amount of the ticket. You will want to make sure & call in the time period given on the ticket and advise them of your intentions to see a judge in the matter.

Good luck.

If you try to fight it, they will let you go to see a DA, drop the points and give you a lesser ticket and then charge you court costs on top of the original ticket. You can't fight city hall.

When I was younger, I was thrown out of a jeep and ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt (while I was getting aid from paramedics!). Even though I let the officer know I was trying to put on the seatbelt and actually had the shoulder harness across my shoulder, trying to dig the other half out of the middle of the console before the driver even began to actually start driving, it didn't matter to him...so I understand the sort of frustration you are dealing with. I went to court and explained what happened to the judge. I can't remember what the fine was had I not gone, but I know it was much more than what I walked out having to pay ($25). Based on this experience, I would suggest you go to court. I didn't walk in with the idea that I was fighting anything, I was just there to tell it like it happened. The judge wasn't the nicest thing in the world, which is why I believe I still had to pay something...but the something was better than what it would've been!

Go to court, talk to the DA, plea bargin the ticket down to a non-moving violation. The fine will be smaller and it won't affect your insurance. I recently got a ticket and they mailed me a plea bargin so I didn't even have to go to court!!! I guess it depends where you live.

Don't know where you live, but often, cops are too busy to show up at court if you challenge it. It shouldn't cost you anything unless you get yourself an attorney (but that may depend on where you live - sometimes there may be court costs). Doesn't hurt to try - although it's nerve-racking to appear before a judge if it isn't something you're used to doing. Plus, if you do win, it shouldn't go on your record - avoiding a hit to your insurance. Also, you can call the prosecutor's office and try to talk with the attorney assigned to handle those cases and try to sweet talk your way out of it.

M,
I also feel bad for your horrible situation. I have a lot of friends that are EMT and just recently found out that it ambulances can also be pulled over and given speeding tickets even with their lights and sirens going. I thought that was ludacris until I talked to my x boyfriend and found out that yes indeed ambulances can also be given speeding tickets and we know where they are going. I am so sorry but I hope this helps make you decision as to if you are going to fight it or not. =) J.

My husband got one about 2 weeks before he was leaving for Iraq and went prepared to fight it with tons of info and pictures from where he got pulled over, right when the magistrate heard he was leaving for Iraq, he dropped it and sent him on his way. So, I would def fight it and have your drs note and all info from the ER

It is no reason to speed though.
But go to the Court House on the day it says and you will meet with an assistant DA and under your circumstances the ticket will more than likely be greatly reduced or just thrown out.
But MK Speed kills and that would have been worse for your child.
RIGHT?
Good Luck

Go to court and present your case. More then likely the ticket will stick due to them viewing at endangering your child or others speeding, WE ALL would do the same thing in the same instance. However if you get the right judge that day it may get dismissed as a warning. It sucks that the officer wasn't more concerned with a sick child!!!
It doesn't cost anymore if you lose. I mean it was 10 miles over and maybe appearing in court with your paperwork you can find a sympathetic judge.
Good luck!

It is my understanding that it won't cost you MORE than the original ticket amount if you fight it in court. (unless you are fined for bad behavior, language or doing something dumb like that.) You may still have to pay something, but it should only be the same amount or less, or nothing at all. The previous poster said there will be a hearing date on your ticket. Sometimes the date on the ticket is just a deadline to SCHEDULE a hearing. If you just simply show up on that day, you may have to schedule a hearing for another day and come back. Just be aware of that. Read the ticket to find out. Or you can always call the court and ask them. Anyway. Good luck. Hopefully you can get out of it.

You will not pay more...go to court and talk to the D.A. worst case if they don't drop it you can bargin it down to a non-moving violation. I would take your paperwork from the urgent care and ER as proof. It will all work out! Relax! :)

Oh yeah...all of y'all who went on and on about speeding, get off of your high horse, no one is perfect, everyone speeds, some are more careful than others, 1 mile over, hmm...still speeding!!

You definitely want to appear on your court date..take all the papers you have,,The judge might and might not feel this was a Emergency, however, you have a 50/50 chance the police man will NOT appear on the court date.. If he doesn't the case is dropped..If he does appear, and you make your plea, as to why you were speeding(?) Not by much...If you have a CLEAN driving record, you can always ask for a Deferred sentence,,6 months, you keep a clean record your charges get dismissed and it does not go on your Insurance..My hubby's a lawyer,this is what he had me do..when i was (speeding) :0( ... Good Luck..

FIGHT IT!!! A lot of the time if you take a ticket to court and the officer doesn't show up then they will drop the charges. At least that's how it is where I live. But hopefully you won't get a judge that's as cold hearted as the officer. He should have helped you to the emergency room instead of delaying you. I would call his supervisor and complain.

First of all I hope that your daughter is doing better.

As for the ticket...if you mail it in within a week or 10 days there should be a lowered fine and points available. If you go to court there will be court costs. There will be extra time involved and you will have to either find child care or bring them with you...which could be a miserable experience for you and your kids.

The other option if you have a clean driving record...Call the D.A. ASAP...explain the situation and that you have a clean record and ask for a deferred sentence. If you are granted this and you do not get pulled over for at least a year this ticket should be deleted from your record and in the mean time will not so show up, so that your insurance does not go up. If you do choose to go to court the chances are very likely that the ticket will not get dropped and only lowered...in that case a non-moving violation is better to have on your record than a speeding ticket.

In any case a phone call to the D.A. is easy enough to do from home to start out with and if you feel you need to go to court then make that your second option.

Please note that I am not an attorney and it is always best to seek legal advice from an attorney. These are just things that I have had to learn the hard way on my own.

Hang in there!

The same thing happened to us. My brother (who was once a police officer) told us to respond to the ticket by the date specified on it. You either agree to the ticket or contest it. If you contest it then they will set up a court date for you. You show up and tell the judge the situation. Bring your ER paperwork. The cop will most likely be there too to tell his side. If the cop doesn't show up you have a higher chance of getting the ticket dismissed. If he does show, then the judge will here both sides and decide if you should pay the ticket or if he will dismiss it. If he dismisses it it costs you nothing. It may cost some if he doesn't though, depending on the area you live. You can call the courthouse and ask if there are fees if you lose and what they will be.
Good Luck!

I use to work for the city court doing traffic violations and I would suggest you show up on your court date. You can speak with the City Attorny and give him/her your evidence, they will most likely reduce the ticket down to one or two points. Also, you can ask for a reduction in the fine, however,they did not typically do this where I worked. We also assessed a $15 Court Cost, but that too can be waived. Because of the situation I think you would have a pretty good chance at getting most of the costs and points lowered. The Court Clerks can not legally advise you so asking them will not help, just talk with the City Attorney on the scheduled date and if you can't make that date get it rescheduled. Good luck and I am sorry you had such a rough day!!

For what it's worth I fought a ticket in a different state and sat through traffic court watching cases all morning. From what I saw there people did not need lawyers and if you were matter of fact and not aggressive the judge was incredibly nice. He let masses of people off with lessor reasons than yours. It really comes down to the personality of the judge. I would certainly take my chances and turn up at court if it were me, but if you get a stroppy judge the ticket will stand.
PS I sympathize. My 4 year old was in hospital for 3 days because of dehydration and they had a terrible time finding a vein to rehydrate her. It's serious and very scary. If I wasn't stuck in stationery traffic I would have been speeding too!!

I was pulled over one night for having no insurance on my car, and the license plate belonged to my mother. I had just sold the car to her, and she hadn't switched it all over. We were all under the impression that you had 2 weeks to do all of that, as long as you had a bill of sale. We didn't drive it anyways, but the wrong plate was on it, just so we could park it on the street. Some friends of mine called me from downtown, to tell me that they were drunk and the only way they could get home was to drive. That wasn't going to work for me, so I took the car. The police officer would not even listen to my story, so I took him to court. I won my case. I DEFINITELY recommend fighting this. That is soo unacceptable. I think you'll win, especially since your case makes so much more sense than mine!!
Good luck, I know this will work out for you

I fought a ticket before. I just had to meet with a city prosecutor or someone like that. It was in a courtroom and I can't remember if they had a judge on hand or not. On the back of my ticket was a court date that I could contest it, so I just showed up that day. I still had to pay the ticket, but it wasn't anymore then what was listed on my ticket. I think it was 35 dollars. That's been about seven years ago though. I think it would be worth a try to fight it, but that's just my opinion.

My sister fought a ticket the other day....and she was not on the way to the ER...it was just her first offense and never given a warning before...they waived the entire ticket!

So fight it for sure!!

My husband is a cop and his response to people who are speeding is two-fold...he says when you speed you run the risk of being further injured and speeding really only saves you a few seconds of driving time. (and they have ambulances for life-threatening emergencies)
Having said that...winning your case depends on where you are. Here in Idaho the state police always go to court to defend their tickets but the county and city guys hardly ever do-which would make your case easier. Sometimes the prosecuter will let you plea down to a lesser ticket. But they probably won't care that you were on your way to the emergency room because of the reasons I said above. Your best bet is to be super polite and respectful and super sorry for speeding. Good Luck!

Personally I would contest it. First there's a chance that the officer wont show up, second you have the documentation proving an emergency. I've had a DD who was hospitalized with dehydration. If our dr's office wasn't right across the street, you bet I would have gotten a speeding ticket, only mine I would have been going faster. GL
J.

You were speeding if it had been a life threatning emergency then the urgent care would not have told you to take her to the ER they would have had you call emt to transmit her. Cops don't care why you are speeding just that you are and pose a risk to other drivers as well as yourself. You can fight it and you might win or you might lose. We fought one because they said we were going 40 miles in a resedintial. The reason was #1 Where we lived before with fields on one side of the road was never considered resedintial #2 the speed limit sign was covered with branches. The judge let us off but the officer wasn't there either so that might have been the reason.

Fight it. When I was in college my boyfriend at the time got a ticket for blowing a stop sign simply from the word of another driver. The cop didn't witness it. He fought it and won and it didn't cost any money at all. I think it only costs more if you hire your own lawyer. But I'm not totally sure about that. First, there should be a hearing date on your ticket. Show up for that and plead not guilty and then you'll go from there. But I would fight it. That's ridiculous. He actually could have given you an escort to the hospital. Fight it. Totally fight it.

Personally, I would just pay it. Why risk possibly paying more for court costs and wasteing your time going there. Unfortunately, you were in the wrong. I'm not sure how far you had to go, but you probably would only gain a few minutes by speeding and you put yourself, your baby and others in danger by speeding.

When my son was 14 months old, he had been throwing up for 2 1/2 days and I was also told to go to the ER due to dehydration. An extra 10 minutes in the car would not make a difference as far as getting him on an IV. So I personally don't think this was a life and death situation and driving carefully would have been the better choice. My son ended up being admitted for 3 1/2 days, so I know you wanted to do the best for your child, but you need to keep everyone safe if it's not an emergency.

At the same time, it would have been decent for the cop to just give you a warning and let you get your child to the ER. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

I got a speeding ticket once and never had to pay it because when i went to court the police officer didn't show. If that happens they have to dismiss the ticket. So i learned that it always pays to at least go to court because you could get lucky like me.

Fight it...if you show up for your day in court, it usually gets knocked down...now I am not a judge or lawyer but my husband had a similar situation (the same cop probably :)) and he showed up for the court hearing and it was knocked down to less $$ and points. Good luck, that cop has some bad Karma coming his/her way.

First of all, I hope your baby is doing better. Second that cop was a (bleep)!!!!!! I would definately show up for your court date. The judge would probably be more sympathetic especially since you have supporting documents. Also it really doesn't cost you anymore if you don't get a lawyer. Anyone can challenge a ticket. I hope it goes well for you.

I would fight it! You may have to pay court costs of maybe $25.00. The judge may even dismiss those due to the circumstances. I can't believe the officer that pulled you over. What a jerk! If it had been me I probably would not have pulled over. Good luck. M.

My husband got a ticket last year in Aurora when HE was hit by a RTD bus turning onto Parker Rd. He had a green light. He fought the ticket and lost because he should have yielded to the bus (that he didn't see). As long as someone started in the intersection while the light was green they can finish turning even if the light turns red. He had to pay the court costs in addition to the ticket. I think paying the court cost is pretty standard. I'm sorry that happened to you. The stress when your kids are sick is enough. Good luck if you decide to fight the ticket.

Somewhere on the ticket there should be a number or info to contest the ticket. It doesn't cost anything, but you may have to go to the courthouse to do it. It's a little time consuming, but I think getting your $100+ money back would be worth it. If you can't find any info on your ticket, call the courthouse & they can tell you what to do. Hope this helps.

I;m sorry about your sick baby and the trouble that this has caused but unfortunatly fighting the ticket and loosing would cost far more than just paying the ticket. My brother in law is a police officer and I've learned much from him. They don't really give a lot of mercy to people. In fact you can pulled over and get a ticket even if you are speeding to the hospital in labor. The thing is they take video of you when they are following you so they have pretty hard evidence that you were speeding. My husband brother's mother in law Is fighting a ticket right now and she is going to loose no matter what her excuse is because he has video of her. So now she has to pay court fees, lawyer fees, and the ticket. Fighting it will just cause more headaches

I think it depends on the community where you live. Where I live they will very often plea-bargain a moving violation down to to fix-it ticket and therefore you get fewer points on your drivers license, and it does cost less money. I don't think it could cost you more money to fight it, and you may well get a sympathetic judge.
I would check with your local DA's office to find out what your chances are. You might get enough information over the phone to decide if it's worth it.
And, by the way....I fully appreciate your "need for speed." I've been in similar situations with my kids, and it's very hard to keep your eye on the speedometer when your whole world seems in danger in the back seat!
Good luck!

You should definitely go to court. I could pretty much guarantee that your ticket, if nothing else, would be reduced. There's nothing better than having to pay less money! Every time my husband has gone in his ticket has been reduced. He doesn't even have a good reason as to why he was speeding. He just goes in there and says he was speeding, tells the truth, the end. TICKET REDUCED!!!
Good luck with it!! You deserve to be cut a break, that's for sure.

I agree with Sarah S. that going to the ER is not legal justification to speed. If your daughter needed to get there that quickly, then the proper procedure is to call an ambulance, a vehicle that can legally speed AND provide urgent care in the vehicle on the way as well. However, I personally probably would have done the same thing as you did. :)

Of course, you can't go back and change the past, and you're asking about what to do from here on out. I recommend fighting it in court. First of all, if the officer does not show up to the hearing, you will very likely not have to pay the ticket. Secondly, I know from experience that the cost of a ticket is far more than just the $115 fine when you add in the amount that your Insurance increases for the next 3-5 years.

There are two ways to fight this in court: by yourself, or with a lawyer. If you decide to do it yourself, look for errors on the ticket - did they write any dates incorrectly? Did they write your make/model/color/license plate incorrectly? Errors like that can get your ticket thrown out easily, because you can say "I wasn't there on the date that's written" or "I don't drive a Corolla, I drive a Camry." Also, remember to request the officer's calibration records for his equipment - if he didn't calibrate it on the required schedule, then you can argue that the equipment could have given a false reading and he can't prove that you were actually going 65.

When you argue this in court, you're better off fighting details like that, instead of justifying WHY you were speeding. If you try to justify, then you just admitted to the judge that you WERE speeding, and therefore you legally deserve the ticket (in the court's eyes).

When I got my last ticket, I actually hired a lawyer and he did everything for me; I didn't even have to appear in court, he went there to represent me. The lawyer cost $250 (this was in Seattle), which was less than the cost of my ticket plus anticipated insurance increases.

Whichever route you choose, I wish you luck!

If this happened to me, I would get a notorized note from the Urgent Care that said they referred you to the ER and take that along with the ER paperwork to Court when you appear. Explain to the Judge everything and if he isn't lenient, offer to go to traffic school to get the ticket dropped.
Good luck

Well, that really sucks! You definitely want to take the time to fight it though. It is worth it. I've fought a couple of tickets in my time and they will usually reduce the fine and may not put it on your record. Especially where you have a dr's note. Just be calm when talking to the judge and show that you are sorry for speeding, but you were really worried about your child and just couldn't help it. They are usually fairly decent to you.
I hope this helps. Good luck!
S.

Congratulations on your anniversary! I hate cops sometimes. I know they serve a purpose and we need them but sometimes they just...grr. Anyway, I've never had to fight a speeding ticket but from what I've heard from friends who have the judges are pretty understanding when it comes to things like this. As long as you have all the paperwork, and it sounds like you do, you should be fine. I've never heard of tickets costing more if you fight them so I think you're alright there.

Good luck, like I said, I've never had to do this so take my advice with a grain of salt. I think you'll be fine.

Fight it, Fight it, Fight it. Even though you were not legally justified to speed... you had a valid reason. A lot of times if you fight it, and you show up to court, sometimes the ticketing officer does not show, therefore, your ticket is dropped completely. This happened with a friend of mine about a year ago. It does not cost you any extra monies, unless you have you drive a long ways to the courthouse or something, then just gas money. Anyways, I would fight it. Even if the officer does show up to court, you probably will get your points lowered and the fine of the ticket lowered. Good luck.

I just had a similar experience. I just got finished picking up my daughter at her grandmother's house. She apparently threw up 4 times and had diarrhea. I was on an interstate trying to get her home (20 minute drive). She told me that she thought she was going to get sick. I was in the right lane following traffic. I decided to try to pick up the pace by getting into the left lane and passing the cars in the right lane. I gunned it to get around tractor trailer and got back into the right lane. As I was slowing down, I was still speeding at that point, I passed a cop. He pulled me over and I explained to him that my daughter was sick and that I was only speeding up to pass traffic in the right lane. He acknowledged that he witnessed that I was in the process of passing. After taking my information, he took 20 minutes to write me a ticket. Although he cut me a break on the ticket, it is still two points on my license and 135 dollar fine. After he left, I got the car moving again and within 3 miles of driving, my daughter threw up in the car. I am thinking of fighting it just on principle. I'll bring the grandmother and my daughter as witnesses. Can the fine actually be increased? After all, he did actually clock me for going faster. I am just so annoyed that they save their "warnings" for buddies, neighbors, and fellow cops, and war heroes and give a mom passing a tractor trailor with a puking kid in the back seat the ticket. Thanks for letting me vent on your post.

I haven't been caught speeding to the E.R but if I had I would fight it!!!!!!

Usually when you show up in court that helps decrease the amount anyway. They won't increase it, it's definitely worth it. Act super sorry, and show your paperwork. Depending on the state, sometimes just because you show up in court, they'll give you the option of traffic school with no costs, or less cost, or a warning, etc.