Criminal Defense Lawyer
Reckless driving is viewed by state law as intentional disregard for the safety of other people or drivers while operating a vehicle. A driver is committing recklessness when he or she is aware of the careless driving behavior, but proceeds to take the risk anyways. Such behavior can easily lead to damage of property or pedestrians. This criminal traffic violation is not one to take lightly, as it can carry much harsher punishments compared to other vehicle-related offenses.
If you or someone you know has been arrested for a reckless driving offense, you can turn to the experience of a lawyer for assistance. They have probably represented clients just like you that made a simple misjudgement, and now are worried the consequences will stay with them for many years to come.
Criminal Consequences
If convicted, a driver may lose their license, have to serve time behind bars, pay substantial fines, and more. Some states may also necessitate that the driver takes mandatory classes or complete a program as punishment. It is not uncommon for judges to choose more severe consequences than is appropriate. Having a lawyer represent you during court hearings can help protect you against serving unjust and extreme punishments. Lastly, drivers that are convicted may suffer damage to reputation and miss out on future opportunities due to having a mark on their record.
Law Enforcement Determines Violation
An officer may pull over a driver for reckless driving if they witness him or her operating the vehicle in an unsafe or threatening manner. A driver may be reckless by speeding way past the speed limit for that road, running red lights, tailgating another vehicle, swerving between lanes, driving while intoxicated, and many more. The repercussions for this offense can be even more steep if it is found that the driver had children in the car when behaving carelessly. However, the exact actions that are deemed reckless depend on the laws for your state. If you have any questions about the laws pertaining to where you live, a lawyer can offer insight.
Lack of Sufficient Proof
In some cases, when a driver is charged with reckless driving it may be found that there is too little of evidence to convict. A reckless driving charge may be dropped if another person reported the crime but had not provided a testimony about what happened. If evidence is not brought forward at all, the accusation may be let go entirely. A lawyer can create a defense to help increase your chances of walking away with minimized or dropped charges.
If you want more information about how a criminal defense attorney San Francisco, CA relies on can help you regarding your arrest, please reach out to an attorney who can answer any questions you have about the process, and can book you a free consultation.
Thank you to our friends and contributors at the Morales Law Firm for their knowledge about reckless driving charges and criminal defense.
