“I was caught speeding while driving my pregnant wife to hospital to give birth. Is there anything I can do?”

The idea of being punished in these circumstances may feel unfair, as you no doubt had the best interests of your wife and child at heart. But the hard truth is that speeding is dealt with very strictly. You don’t have to have known you were speeding; if you exceeded the limit, you committed an offence. Penalties range, depending on the circumstances. Points on your licence, a fine, disqualification are all possible.

That is not to say that your reason for speeding is irrelevant. While it doesn’t provide you with a defence, it could be taken into account when deciding the penalty and, in some cases, a more lenient sentence (a lower fine or a shorter period of disqualification, for example) is passed.

This hinges on showing a ‘special reason’ for having committed the offence. Of course, not everything will count as a special reason, but an emergency situation involving childbirth could qualify. The precise facts will be crucial in determining whether you have a special reason. It would not be enough to say: my wife was pregnant and needed to get to hospital. It would need to have been reasonable for you to have driven as you did in the circumstances.

Be prepared to provide evidence to support that. This could include a statement from your wife that she was in active labour during the journey, and confirmation from the hospital that you attended when you say you did.

It’s important that you speak to a specialist legal advice as soon as possible so that your best case can be put forward. Our Road Traffic Offence team is made up of solicitors experienced in handling situations like yours and will be able to advise you on the steps to take and on the likely outcome. Contact us today on 01264 353411 or email us at info@bsandi.co.uk.