An experienced driver was left with a £100 fine and three points on his previously clean licence after he let an ambulance past. Frank Wallington, 76, was driving home from his cousin's funeral when he saw the emergency vehicle, flashing blue lights, in his rear view mirror.
He pulled over to let is pass, not wanting to get in its way on a stretch of road where two lanes were about to merge into one. However, Frank said he did not realise that there was a car closely following the ambulance and so, in a bid not to get in its way, he passed through some traffic lights. It turned out that the lights had changed to red 1.2 seconds earlier.
Therefore, a month later, Frank was contacted by police in regards to the traffic offence and was told he would be fined £100 and given three points on his driving licence. But he says the punishment is unfair and has asked for what he calls "mitigating circumstances" to be taken into account, reports NottinghamshireLive.
Speaking about the incident, which happened in March last year, he said: "It's frustrating because I'm an advanced driver and I've always had a completely clean licence. I actually feel I could have carried on and driven straight through the traffic lights without any problem, but then I would have delayed the ambulance and what I assume was a car with perhaps a relative of the patient in the ambulance, with it being so close to the ambulance.
"I can't deny that I was 1.2 seconds late going through the traffic lights, but my point is that it was mitigating circumstances. If I had carried on I would have blocked the ambulance's procedure through those traffic lights as the road went into a single lane shortly afterwards.
"A split second decision on my part has caused me to go through the lights after they had turned red, but I was distracted, of course, as they were overtaking me. I wasn't looking at the traffic lights, I was looking at them in my rear view mirror while they overtook me."
When asked about the traffic lights, he explained: "They were green as I approached, I was in the left hand lane, but I slowed down. I turned my indicator on to indicate to the ambulance driver that I was slowing down and allowing him to overtake.
"Even if that white car hadn't been behind the ambulance, which I couldn't see as they were right behind the ambulance, the lights were on green and if I had been able to pull right behind the ambulance I would have still gone behind the lights on green.
Despite explaining the situation relating to the incident, which happened on the A52 in Nottinghamshire, Frank has been told that he must appear at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on February 14, 2023, if he wishes to dispute the punishment.
He said: "They are not listening to what I am explaining happened. It's going to be expensive to drive over there in fuel alone, to have a day in court just to say exactly what I would say in a letter and what I have already said to them. I don't know what more I could say if I was there in person.
"The camera doesn't lie, so to speak, but it's just frustrating and there should be some tolerance or mitigating circumstances taken into consideration here, but they are intransigent that the law is the law, the camera has caught me going through lights on red and they are going to prosecute me. It was one of those situations that you had to make a decision about and I was 1.2 seconds too late going through a traffic light."
After being told of the situation, Hugh Bladon, a spokesperson for the Alliance of British Drivers, said: "If somebody gets out of the way of an ambulance and then gets fined, I think that is absolutely reprehensible and I don't agree with it whatsoever. If someone drives through a red traffic light then they deserved to be fined, but if they are doing that because they are getting out of the way of an ambulance then that was fair dues. The chap was doing the right thing.
"What is more important, to grab a bit of money from a motorist or to delay someone who may be needing precious help somewhere. Therefore it's absolutely quite right for this chap to get out of the way, and that's what we should all do."
Speaking of the procedure in these types of situations, Hugh explained that "there is absolutely no leeway given", adding: "There seems to be no common sense, they just want to grab money all the time and punish. There are circumstances when you need to do something which may not technically be correct, but on the other hand it is the correct thing to do."
Guidance from East Midlands Ambulance Service states that if drivers hear sirens they should not panic and if the road is congested they should look to see if there is any space and move over when it is appropriate and if it is safe to do so.
