What Is Reckless Driving?

In 2021, the US had one of the highest number of car accidents in 16 years. Unfortunately, reckless driving is a part of everyday life in the US and this causes the death toll on the road to remain high each year.

But even if reckless driving doesn’t lead to an accident, you can still get in trouble with the law. If you’ve been accused of reckless driving, you can face serious penalties.

So what do you do to fight a reckless driving charge?

This guide will show you how it works and why you might need a traffic lawyer.

Getting a Reckless Driving Offense

Due to the dangers of road accidents, some traffic police are more enthusiastic than normal.

As a result, you might receive a reckless driving charge even if you weren’t driving crazily! If you aren’t following the rules to the T and a police officer feels that you’re a threat, you might have to fight a case.

You’ll need to contact this experienced traffic attorney to help you defend your case.

Basic Definitions of Reckless Driving

Now let’s look at some of the basic factors that can get considered reckless driving.

Here are a few examples of reckless driving:

  • Speeding at least 25 mph above the speed limit
  • Running through a red light or even a stop sign
  • Driving under the influence
  • Texting or looking at your phone
  • Driving past a parked school bus
  • Racing

If you avoid these things, then you should be good. But remember, even the slightest mistake can trigger the police.

For example, even if you speed 10 mph above the speed limit, this can cause issues. Even if you’re slightly ahead of the stop sign, this can raise a red flag.

Best Practices

Now let’s end by sharing a few best practices on how you can avoid reckless driving in the future.

One is to install a monitoring device in your car. This will track your speed without you having to look at your speedometer. It’ll also track the required speed limit of the road you’re on.

You’ll get alerts on whether you’re above or below the speed limit. It’ll also alert you of any upcoming red lights and stop signs.

What happens if you’ve consumed alcohol? Even if you’ve had one small glass of beer and can focus on driving, you can still get stopped for reckless driving.

In this scenario, you can always use a ride-sharing service. Never take the risk of driving yourself even if you’ve consumed small amounts of alcohol.

Let’s Get Rid of Reckless Driving

Now that you know what reckless driving is, you can also find a way to protect yourself if needed.

Try to avoid speeding much ahead of the speed limit. No matter what, you should never look at your phone while you’re driving. If you’ve drunk alcohol, use a ride-sharing service instead.

Make sure you also follow the best practices in this guide to prevent accidental reckless driving. In case you’re slapped with a charge, make sure you get a great lawyer by your side!

You can find more tips on driving safely on our blog under our Law or Lifestyle sections.

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