Traffic violation and acceptance

[WitcherWolf7]

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This is somewhat embarrassing, but I was driving a family member to the ER. I drove past a schoolbus, but upon driving away and looking in my rear view mirror I saw that the lights were on and the stop sign was out. I don't think it was on when I drove by but I'm kind of worried.

If this does turn out to be a traffic violation, I wanted to know if this could jeopardize me or my current commited acceptance in any way? Again I don't think that's what happened, but I feel very paranoid about it.

I feel like this is kind of a ridiculous question but I wanted some reassurance/advice

Thank you

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

Did you get a ticket? If no, you're just fine

Your school is not asking you to self report every rolled stop sign or even traffic citation, they typically want to know if you've gotten a misdemeanor/felony and that's about it. Plenty of doctors are bad drivers

 

[seanm028]

Did you get a ticket? If no, you're just fine

Your school is not asking you to self report every rolled stop sign or even traffic citation, they typically want to know if you've gotten a misdemeanor/felony and that's about it. Plenty of doctors are bad drivers

Some school buses have cameras on them that snap a picture of any car's license plate that blows the stop sign. I wonder if this is what happened to OP, and they're waiting to see if a ticket comes in the mail.

 

[Osteosaur]

If you were ticketed and plead guilty and the school asks, report it. If not, don't? Mistakes happen and no one was hurt.

Maybe it came out after you passed?

I reported a speeding violation from 4 years ago during my background check post-acceptance. No one ever asked.

 

[WitcherWolf7]

Some school buses have cameras on them that snap a picture of any car's license plate that blows the stop sign. I wonder if this is what happened to OP, and they're waiting to see if a ticket comes in the mail.

Do you think this could jeopardize my acceptance? That's what im panicking about.

 

[seanm028]

Do you think this could jeopardize my acceptance? That's what im panicking about.

I doubt it. I don't know your jurisdiction or its laws, but I can't imagine running a stop sign (even one attached to a school bus) would be anything more than a moving violation. If this is a misdemeanor offense in your jurisdiction, then that changes things a little bit. Even then, you could probably explain the circumstances and be just fine. But to put your mind at rest, go look up your local jurisdiction's laws and confirm that it's just a traffic violation, which shouldn't be a problem with med schools.

 

[Hermes.]

Traffic violations (excluding DUIs/dangerous driving, etc., also jurisdiction-dependent) are not the same as criminal charges.

 

[xffan624]

Some school buses have cameras on them that snap a picture of any car's license plate that blows the stop sign. I wonder if this is what happened to OP, and they're waiting to see if a ticket comes in the mail.

If it's just a picture then for most states it's just an infraction (doesn't even count towards points on your license). They can't prove that you were the person driving the car so it's just a fine for whoever the car is registered to (I assume OP?). No court involvement or entry on background checks.

 

[Banco]

You’ll be fine. You don’t need to report anything as of now. If it’s a misdemeanor then maybe you might at some point, but even then I’m certain it’s not jeopardizing anything. Relax.

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

Nothing to worry about here!

 

[VenusinFurs]

It won’t blow your acceptance, you don’t even know if you have a citation and probably don’t, and if you receive a citation you can tell your school, they won’t care unless you get like a ticket every month

source: attending physician, so so driver especially in my younger days

 

[recycledpaper]

Oh, to be a pre-med again, when anything and everything seemed like it would tarnish your application.

No one cares. It's not like you robbed a bank.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Oh, to be a pre-med again, when anything and everything seemed like it would tarnish your application.

No one cares. It's not like you robbed a bank.

Right? As you move towards residency and attendingship, the wacky and wild stuff you see that people brush off on a daily basis makes days like this seem so innocent.

My general rule is that nobody generally cares about mundane traffic violations. Unless the word misdemeanor or felony is used and you hired a lawyer (not a traffic lawyer), it doesn't move any needles.

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[LiteralLungs]

Right? As you move towards residency and attendingship, the wacky and wild stuff you see that people brush off on a daily basis makes days like this seem so innocent.

My general rule is that nobody generally cares about mundane traffic violations. Unless the word misdemeanor or felony is used and you hired a lawyer (not a traffic lawyer), it doesn't move any needles.

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

In some states, all traffic violations are misdemeanors

 

[seanm028]

In some states, all traffic violations are misdemeanors

I'm skeptical. Which states?

 

[LiteralLungs]

I'm skeptical. Which states?

I don't know specifically, I just know that these threads come up all the time because applicants are worried about reporting this on AMCAS. The advice is usually, if you state classifies it as a misdemeanor, it needs to be reported.

 

[seanm028]

I don't know specifically, I just know that these threads come up all the time because applicants are worried about reporting this on AMCAS. The advice is usually, if you state classifies it as a misdemeanor, it needs to be reported.

Gotcha. This sounds like a misinterpretation from whoever originally said that. Every state has some traffic infractions that are misdemeanors, but I highly doubt that any state classifies all traffic infractions as misdemeanors. Keep in mind that a parking ticket is a traffic infraction.

 

[helloitsme1234]

I'm skeptical. Which states?

In Georgia, I just received a ticket for failure to stop at a stop sign. I looked it up, and apparently this is a misdemeanor in Georgia. I already submitted my primary application and its been verified and transmitted to apps. I am now doing secondaries. Do I have to report this? If so, an I amend my primary or should I just report it on any secondaries that ask? Will it jeopardize my application? Thanks in advance.