Court Opinion

ID: 9590912
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:59:20.609141+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:27:58.505512
License: Public Domain

Hudgins, C. 
dissenting.
I am unable to agree with that part of the majority opinion which holds that the driver of a police department vehicle is guilty of negligence for failure to stop at a red light signal.
When the different sections of the Motor Vehicle Code are considered together, as they should be, they reveal a clear legislative intent to recognize the paramount public necessity of providing a clear and speedy pathway for drivers of police department vehicles when in chase or apprehension of violators of the law. The statute does not give such drivers the absolute right of way. They are not relieved of the ‘ ‘ of a reckless disregard of the safety of others.” (Code 1950, sec. 46-216). They are required to give proper and audibile warning of their approach so that other users of the highways may have a reasonable opportunity to yield the right of way by clearing the intersection and stopping their vehicles at or as near as possible and parallel to the right-hand curb.
If, on the approach of police department vehicles giving-audible signals by siren, other users of the highway áre prohibited from going forward on the green traffic light, and a police officer in chase of violators of the law is required to stop on a red light at the same intersection, no one can lawfully enter the intersection from any direction during the interval between the change óf traffic signals. Such a situation is absurd. It is a hindrance rather than an aid to police officers and firemen in the discharge of their duty on emergency calls.
The driver of a police department vehicle should be held guilty of negligence if the evidence shows that he failed to keep a proper lookout, under the circumstances, or failed to give adequate warning of his approach, or otherwise recklessly disregarded the rights of others. He should not be held guilty of negligence, as a matter of law, simply because he failed to stop at an intersection on a red light signal.