In California, reckless driving is a serious charge that can result in points on your driver’s license and increased insurance premiums. And that’s not even the worst-case scenario. A reckless driving charge can also result in serious fines and serious jail time. So naturally, you want to avoid driving recklessly, both to avoid the legal and financial consequences, as well as for general safety reasons.
Of course, the best way to avoid a reckless driving charge is to know what reckless driving is in the first place. It might seem like a vague, all-encompassing term designed to nab unsuspecting drivers, but there are different categories of reckless driving that you would do well to avoid. If you, or someone you know, is a victim of a reckless driver then you should contact a car accident lawyer in Fresno, or wherever the incident took place to make sure that you get the proper compensation.
Speeding
This is one of the most basic kinds of reckless driving and it is very easy to understand and evaluate. However, there are various levels to a speeding charge:
- The more miles over the speed limit you drive, the higher the charge will be.
- Speeding in a school zone is considered a more serious speeding offense because of the danger it poses to the school children.
- Speeding in a construction zone is also serious because the construction equipment and workers present increase the risk of danger.
- Street racing—aka, the exhibition of speed, or speed contest— is a special kind of speeding violation that occurs when multiple vehicles engage in a speed competition. This can be particularly dangerous because of the potential for high-speed crashes, which can result in serious injuries to the drivers.
Ignoring Road Signals
This can be anything from running red lights or stop signs, or the failure to acknowledge traffic directives such as yield signs or railroad crossing signals. Even though this seems like a relatively minor infraction, the consequences can be catastrophic. This type of reckless driving can easily result in the type of car accident that can have devastating results.
That is because ignoring road signs or signals can cause a vehicle to slam head-on into the passenger or driver side of another vehicle. This is a very dangerous kind of crash that can cause serious damage to the vehicles involved in the crash, and debilitating injuries—or death—to the people involved in the crash.
Driving While Distracted
These days, texting while driving is the most common form of distracted driving, but there are other types. They are all dangerous because they take the driver’s attention off the road, which significantly increases the risk of an accident. The different kinds of driving distraction are as follows:
Visual Distraction – This is when the driver’s visual focus is on something besides the road. Messing with the car’s entertainment system, checking your watch, and any such behavior can be a visual distraction
Cognitive Distraction – Also called “mental distraction,” this can be when the driver is speaking to a passenger or is mentally focused on work or personal issues.
Manual Distraction – This is when the driver takes their hands off the steering wheel so that they can use them for eating, drinking, smoking, or something else.
The reason that texting while driving is so bad is that it is a combination of all three distractions at once.
Don’t Drive Recklessly
It just isn’t worth it. Even the milder consequences are serious since they can result in the suspension of your driver’s license and higher insurance costs. The more serious outcomes could involve fines and jail time. If you are ever unfortunate enough to be the victim of reckless driving charge, then contact an attorney immediately. They can make a huge difference by getting you the compensation you need to take care of medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses.
