Do you ever text and drive?
Around 81% of Americans text every day. If you’ve ever succumbed to the urge to jot out a text while behind the wheel, you’re not alone. A lot of drivers think it’s innocent to text and drive, especially if they’re at a red light.
However, texting and driving are the same as drinking and driving in the eyes of the law. If a police officer saw you were texting while operating a vehicle, you could wind up with a reckless driving charge.
What is reckless driving? Read on to find out!
Reckless Driving Examples
What is reckless driving, exactly? If you’ve recently received a reckless driving ticket, it could be for several reasons. Perhaps you ran a stop sign, or cut somebody off on the highway. Other examples of reckless driving include driving on areas that cars aren’t supposed to be, like front yards and sidewalks.
Tailgating is another prime example of reckless driving, as well as motorcyclists weaving through traffic. The underlying factor is that reckless driving behaviors put people or property in danger. It doesn’t matter if you intended to drive irresponsibly, or if it was a complete accident, the charges will be the same.
The severity is similar when you’re dealing with a reckless driving vs DUI. You can expect reckless driving charges to be higher if there was severe property destruction, bad injuries, or a fatality resulting from the accident.
What Is Reckless Driving in Your State?
Moving on, it’s important to understand, reckless driving laws vary greatly from one state to the next. Just because you have a friend who received a reckless driving ticket in their state with minimal repercussions, that doesn’t mean you’ll receive the same treatment in your hometown.
For instance, in California, a reckless driving ticket is considered a misdemeanor offense. The class one misdemeanor offense can bring with it a fine, and possible jail time. When there are bodily injury claims involved, the jail time can be as long as 6 months!
While California’s take on reckless driving may seem severe, it’s not as intense as Colorado’s approach. In Colorado, reckless driving is considered a class 2 misdemeanor, and it means an instant jail sentence of up to 90 days.
Consequences of a Reckless Driving Ticket
What is a reckless driving ticket going to cost you? It depends. To minimize the impact of receiving a reckless driving ticket, we suggest consulting a local criminal defense attorney. A qualified attorney will know how to best handle your charges, and may even be able to help you keep your insurance.
In addition to facing possible jail time, you could also be hit with a hefty fine. The fine will vary depending on the severity of your charges. However, you could easily wind up paying thousands of dollars after getting a reckless driving ticket. Next, you might wind up dealing with a license suspension or revocation.
Know Your Rights
The next time you hear someone ask, “what is reckless driving?”, you’ll know the answer. Unlike lesser offenses, like careless driving, reckless driving brings with it serious legal consequences.
From threatening your ability to drive, to possibly putting you in jail, your charges could easily throw your life off track. To help protect your future, we suggest reaching out to a local attorney today.
After speaking with a legal professional, you’ll know all of your rights and options moving forward. For another article with helpful advice, explore the rest of our site.