A Danish paramedic who was fined and received a conditional license suspension after an accident during an emergency response will soon see relief. Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen is sending a new bill to hearing this week that will eliminate penalty points for emergency personnel involved in accidents while on duty.
Emergency Response Ends in Collision
On January 9, 2025, paramedic Gert Jørgensen was responding to a cardiac arrest emergency in Glostrup when his ambulance was involved in a collision. Jørgensen, who has been driving emergency vehicles since 1987 without a single accident, slowed down at an intersection on Sønder Ringvej and Park Allé in Brøndby before proceeding carefully through the intersection.
Despite stopping and checking that traffic had yielded, a truck approached from his right at high speed. Jørgensen attempted to avoid the collision but was unsuccessful. No one was injured in the accident, and another emergency medical vehicle was dispatched to the cardiac arrest patient.
Conviction Sparks Debate
In the summer of 2025, Jørgensen received a summons charging him with driving without due care. On December 18, 2025, he was ordered to pay a fine of 2,500 kroner and received a conditional driver’s license suspension. The paramedic maintains he drove cautiously and responsibly given the emergency circumstances.
Jørgensen questions the fairness of the conviction. He emphasized that he wasn’t driving recklessly at 80 kilometers per hour without slowing down. Instead, he had reduced his speed and carefully assessed the situation before entering the intersection. While he acknowledges that emergency personnel have responsibilities to other motorists and themselves, he believes he demonstrated appropriate caution in this particular case.
Widespread Issue Across Emergency Services
Jørgensen’s case is far from unique. Several similar incidents involving police, fire, and ambulance personnel have been documented by Danish media outlets. Emergency responders across the country have faced fines and potential license suspensions after accidents that occurred while they were performing their duties.
Driving in Denmark comes with strict regulations, and these apply even more stringently to those behind the wheel of emergency vehicles. However, many argue that the current system doesn’t adequately account for the unique pressures and circumstances of emergency response driving.
Minister Proposes Legal Changes
Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen has expressed understanding for the concerns raised by emergency personnel. This week, he is sending a new legislative proposal to hearing, with the expectation that it will take effect by summer 2025. The bill aims to eliminate penalty points on driver’s licenses for emergency personnel involved in accidents while on duty.
Meanwhile, Danielsen explained that the law change stems from multiple cases where emergency personnel demonstrated significant caution but still received penalty points due to property damage. He noted that emergency responders perform jobs that are inherently more dangerous than most other occupations. Therefore, they shouldn’t risk losing their licenses and livelihoods due to a general penalty point system designed for ordinary drivers.
The minister told Danish media that the new law will take effect on July 1, 2025. At that point, emergency personnel will no longer automatically receive penalty points when involved in accidents during emergency responses.
Impact on Emergency Workers
For Jørgensen and his colleagues, the proposed legislation offers hope for the future. He emphasized that emergency personnel across all services, including police, fire, and ambulance workers, shouldn’t go to work fearing they might lose their driver’s licenses. Such concerns affect not only their professional lives but also their personal circumstances.
Interestingly, the paramedic believes current training for emergency vehicle operators is adequate. He pointed to the education and driving courses provided to emergency personnel as sufficient preparation for the demands of emergency response driving.
Awaiting Appeal Decision
Jørgensen is currently waiting for a response regarding whether he can appeal his conviction. In fact, traffic law convictions in Denmark cannot be automatically appealed. Therefore, he has applied for permission from the Processing Authorization Board to challenge the ruling.
The paramedic hopes the legal changes will provide proper protection for people who dedicate themselves to making a difference in emergency situations. Given that emergency response involves split-second decisions under high-pressure circumstances, many believe the current legal framework fails to account for these realities.
Broader Implications
The proposed legislation represents a significant shift in how Denmark treats emergency personnel involved in accidents during duty. Emergency responders operate under conditions vastly different from regular traffic situations. They must balance speed with safety while responding to life-threatening emergencies.
Naturally, the bill acknowledges that emergency personnel still have responsibilities and must drive safely. However, it recognizes that the nature of their work involves inherent risks that shouldn’t automatically result in professional consequences when accidents occur despite reasonable precautions.
As a result, the new law could ease concerns among thousands of emergency workers who currently face the possibility of losing their licenses and careers due to accidents that occur while they’re trying to save lives.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Driving in Denmark: Navigating Roads and Regulations for Expats
The Danish Dream: Best Car Insurance in Denmark for Foreigners
TV2: Paramediciner straffet efter uheld under udrykning – nu vil minister ændre loven
