Opinion ID: 1402025
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: sudden emergency charge

Text: Cantrell contends the Court of Appeals erred in affirming the trial judge's refusal to instruct the jury on the doctrine of sudden emergency. She asserts the charge was required in order for the jury to understand the emergency in which Cantrell found herself when Anderson's vehicle turned left in front of hers. We disagree. When the driver of an automobile is confronted with a sudden emergency brought about by the negligence of another and not by his own negligence, and [is] compelled to act instantly to avoid a collision or an injury, [that driver] is not guilty of negligence if he makes such a choice as a person of ordinary prudence placed in a like position might make, even though he did not make the wisest choice. Still v. Blake, 255 S.C. 95, 105, 177 S.E.2d 469, 474 (1970) (emphasis added) (concluding sudden emergency doctrine properly was charged to jury where plaintiff veered left to avoid colliding with defendant's vehicle, which had signaled to turn right but unexpectedly turned left); accord Spahn v. Town of Port Royal, 326 S.C. 632, 486 S.E.2d 507 (Ct.App.1997) (concluding sudden emergency doctrine properly was charged to jury where police officer's vehicle injured plaintiff as plaintiff was trying to retrieve his boat from middle of road), affd as modified by Spahn v. Town of Port Royal, 330 S.C. 168, 499 S.E.2d 205 (1998); Singletary v. South Carolina Dep't of Educ., 316 S.C. 153, 447 S.E.2d 231 (Ct.App.1994) (concluding it was a jury question on whether defendant school bus driver acted prudently under sudden emergency doctrine when driver failed to pull off foggy highway after bus stalled, and was struck from rear by plaintiffs vehicle). The sudden emergency doctrine is intended to protect a driver who, while acting with due care, suddenly finds herself in an emergency situation due to the negligent or wrongful acts of another. The doctrine does not apply when a party's own negligence creates the very emergency in which she finds herself. In this case, Cantrell's allegedly excessive speed created the emergency. Accordingly, the Court of Appeals correctly affirmed the trial judge's refusal to instruct the jury on the sudden emergency doctrine.