What Makes Driving Reckless?
When someone drives in a manner that shows a blatant disregard for the safety of other road users and traffic rules, that’s reckless driving. Contrary to what many people think, being charged with reckless driving is more than just getting a traffic ticket. It is considered a criminal offense in South Carolina that carries significant legal ramifications, such as driver’s license suspension, costly fines, a permanent record, and incarceration.
In this light, if you’ve been charged with reckless driving, it’s in your best interest to discuss your specific situation with a competent Columbia reckless driving attorney to learn how they can fight the charges against you.
What Reckless Driving Really Means in SC
Reckless driving is when you drive your vehicle without regard for other people’s safety and the traffic laws you could be potentially violating. Essentially, this means you know the risks you are taking, but you still choose to drive recklessly because you don’t care about the potential consequences.
It’s also vital to note that reckless driving is not like negligent or careless driving, which entails failing to exercise reasonable care. Reckless driving is much more serious because when you drive recklessly, you are intentionally doing something that could endanger other people’s lives and property.
Common driving behaviors that can be deemed reckless include the following:
- Driving at excessively high speeds, especially in high-risk areas, such as residential areas or school zones.
- Running stop signs and red lights while speeding,
- Aggressive driving, including weaving in and out of lanes at high speeds, cutting off other drivers, or tailgating.
- Driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol.
- Racing other drivers on busy or public roadways.
- Not yielding to pedestrians or other vehicles in hazardous situations.
A classic example of reckless driving is excessive speeding in a school zone. To illustrate, let’s say Taylor was speeding down a school zone in their car, traveling 50mph in a 25mph zone. Their excessive speed caused them to lose control of their car, hitting a lamppost and almost crashing into a school bus filled with kids. While Taylor did not set out to hurt anyone, they were intentionally speeding in a place with children and pedestrians. This clearly shows a blatant disregard for public safety.
Another common example of reckless driving is DUI. Let’s say Alex got behind the wheel of his pickup truck after getting drunk and high at a party. He could not control his truck because he was intoxicated and was excessively speeding, aggressively weaving between lanes, and not stopping at traffic signals.
Alex’s behavior posed a serious threat to other people’s safety because he was obviously not in control of his truck. DUI is normally considered reckless because the driver intentionally endangers others by driving their vehicle while drunk or drugged. This applies even if the driver did not injure others or damage property.
Get In Touch With Our Skilled Columbia Reckless Driving Attorney Now
If you or a loved one is facing reckless driving charges, our Columbia reckless driving lawyer, Jonathan Harvey, is ready to help. To explore your legal options and find out more about your case, schedule your case assessment with our Columbia reckless driving attorney by contacting us online or by phone.