If you’ve recently received a ticket, you may have been surprised if it was for reckless driving. In fact, reckless driving tickets are serious, and depending on your state, the offense can also be known as dangerous driving or careless driving.
The exact violations you face will also vary based on your state. In general, driving that shows reckless disregard or negligence includes excessive speeding, running stop signs or red lights, failing to yield, and driving under the influence (you can then be charged with both reckless driving and a DUI).
Other examples of reckless driving include evading law enforcement, racing other cars, passing a stopped school bus, texting while you’re driving, or passing over a double yellow line.
The consequences can range from fines of hundreds or thousands of dollars to jail time, license suspension, points on your record, an increase in your insurance premiums, job loss, and security clearance denial. Reckless drivers have found themselves having to search for various options of car insurance for convicted drivers in order to keep insurance premiums down and continue driving.
It is possible to beat a reckless driving charge with the help of a traffic ticket attorney San Francisco. There are a number of procedural and legal arguments that can challenge these charges. For example, it can be argued that the police didn’t have jurisdiction if the office wasn’t from the right locality. You can also argue if you weren’t on a highway but were on private property instead.
If you weren’t the driver, you can argue for a case of mistaken identity. This is common if you’ve had your identity or license stolen. Another argument is based around speed limits. If the prosecutor is unable to prove the speed limit, or the radar or LIDAR calibrations were inaccurate, you can challenge this as well.
If you were driving on a suspended license, it’s crucial that you get in touch with a driving on suspended license lawyer.
In California, people with reckless driving convictions can face a fine of several thousand dollars, jail for up to 90 days, an impounded car for up to 30 days, and a 30-day license suspension- and that’s just if it’s their first offense. Even if you did something simple, like changed lanes dangerously to avoid an accident, you could end up dealing with a ticket. And of course, you’ll be in a much worse position if you’re on a suspended license, which is why it’s best to talk to a suspended license lawyer San Francisco.
