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How a Traffic Defense Attorney Helps Red Light Violations in Birth Emergencies

by Gene Vasquez

Giving birth is a complex medical situation and can occur at just about any time. For example, a woman may find herself suddenly giving birth during the worst time for traffic in her city and end up being transported by a partner who runs one or more red lights to save time. When this happens, they may end up with a ticket, fines, jail time, and license demerits unless they hire a traffic defense lawyer.

Running a Red Light s a Serious Offense

People running a red light when taking a woman to give birth at a hospital are committing a crime, which can have serious consequences. For example, states like Alabama can provide people with fines of up to $100 and even 10 days in jail and add three demerit points to a person's license. These points can add to each crime committed, potentially causing a genuine legal concern with a person's driving.

And while police officers may sometimes waive a ticket and even escort a pregnant woman to a hospital if their driver runs a red light, some may not get rid of the ticket. This situation can be frustrating for those simply trying to get medical care for a loved one. As a result, it is vital to get help from a traffic crime defense lawyer who understands this legal situation.

Are Defenses Available?

Traffic defense lawyers usually attempt to cast doubt on the officer and their perception of events for a red light violation defense. This approach is essential because running a red light when transportation a woman giving birth is not considered a viable defense for criminal activities in most states. This interpretation may vary based on each state and a judge's view of the situation and a person's behaviors.

Instead, a defense lawyer will try to show that an officer was wrong in their judgment about this situation, such as showing that the driver was in the limit lane before the light turned red. This defense is appropriate for this type of case because the driver was likely concentrating heavily on transporting the pregnant woman and may have been hyper-aware of their surroundings as a result.

Often, this process requires getting witnesses who can testify that a car had crossed the limit line, written diagrams showing the event, or other types of evidence. It isn't necessary to prove that the vehicle was in the limit lane, either. Instead, it requires reasonable doubt from the judge or makes it reasonably possible that an individual did not run a red light. Though not always easy, this defense has worked for many wrongly accused of running a red light.

For more information, an attorney like David A. Mansfield can help.

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