The Law Offices of R. David Williams, P.A., represents clients charged with reckless driving.
Many people experience frustrations behind the wheel from time to time. Similarly, it is not uncommon to have lapses in judgment while driving. Perhaps you have recently found yourself in a situation where annoyances from other drivers or other factors in your life have caused you to momentarily fail to exercise proper caution — and maybe you made the potentially deadly mistake of expressing your exasperation through the accelerator and the steering wheel. The law forbids reckless driving to encourage restraint while discouraging this risky and threatening behavior.
You must be mindful of the fact that if you drive recklessly, you could cause significant damage or harm. Choosing to behave brazenly on the road in a way that places others in danger goes beyond mere carelessness or a lapse in cautious attention. Such bold lack of restraint could lead to a reckless driving charge, and the consequences could be severe.
Driving recklessly can endanger your life and the lives of other people on the road. No injury or property damage must occur for you to face a reckless driving charge. You will face harsher penalties and other legal challenges if any injuries or property damage did occur. A reckless driving conviction alone could cause you to face jail time.
Fortunately, legal representation is available. Contact The Law Offices of R. David Williams, P.A. today. With an experienced Fort Lauderdale reckless driving lawyer on your side, your legal rights and interests will be vigorously defended.
Reckless driving isn’t merely disregarding traffic laws. Florida law defines it as driving “any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.” Reckless driving also includes the following:
Schedule a free consultation with The Law Offices of R. David Williams, P.A. so your Fort Lauderdale reckless driving lawyer can review your case and determine an effective defense strategy.
The penalties for a reckless driving conviction vary depending on whether you have prior offenses and the severity of damages and injuries. For example, if the charge was your first offense and there were no injuries or property damage, you will face a second-degree misdemeanor. This comes with up to 90 days in jail or six months of probation, and up to a $500 fine.
A second offense and subsequent offenses are also second-degree misdemeanors, but they carry a maximum jail sentence of six months, with fines reaching up to $1,000. If you cause property damage or injury, the charge will be a first-degree misdemeanor. This is punishable by up to a year in jail or one year of probation. You may also have to pay a $1,000 fine.
Finally, if you cause serious bodily harm due to your reckless driving, it becomes a third-degree felony, and carries a sentence of up to five years in prison or five years of probation, as well as a $5,000 fine. While you may not have intended any harm to others, there are often severe consequences for others when someone acts without sound judgment on the road. The penalties you may be facing are warranted because they can help to deter these types of unfortunate actions among drivers, and this may prevent harm to others in the future.
Evidence of speeding alone cannot normally lead to a conviction. There are exceptions, depending on how fast the person was driving and by how much he or she was exceeding the speed limit.
Convictions for reckless driving are more likely when other factors are coupled with speeding. Still, the prosecution will have to show that the driver exhibited willful or wanton disregard for others’ safety. Driving down the middle of the road, improper passing, failing to slow down before impact, failing to look for pedestrians, and driving while consuming alcohol are all factors that can contribute to a conviction.
Reckless driving can pose a risk of injury or death to yourself or others, and the law seeks to discourage such dangerous disregard while promoting responsible driving. If an injury or death does occur, you will be facing harsher criminal charges alongside possible injury or wrongful death claims and/or lawsuits. However, no injury is necessary for you to be charged with reckless driving because this law exists to protect the safety of drivers, passengers, and others in the vicinity of the road.
Schedule a time today to meet with our Fort Lauderdale reckless driving lawyer for a free consultation if you have been charged with this crime.
Call (954) 522-9997 or fill out the short form below. We will usually respond within 1 business day but often do so the same day. Don’t hesitate, your questions are welcome.
* Required Fields
Your reckless driving lawyer may show that you were driving carelessly rather than recklessly. Lazy mistakes do not fit the meaning of recklessness, which is more active in nature. Careless driving or negligence is not enough to constitute reckless driving.
The law is clear that the actions must be willful or wanton. If a driver makes an error or unknowingly does something that leads to injury or damage, it is not considered reckless driving. To envision recklessness, you may imagine deliberate disregard for the rules of the road or the safety of others.
A conviction must be based on a person intentionally driving improperly, fully aware of the immediate consequences or risks. Also, if there is evidence that the driver has control of his or her vehicle and slowed down prior to a crash, reckless driving will be difficult to prove.
A common defense against reckless driving depends on whether witnesses at the scene contradict what the prosecution is alleging. We can research to determine what happened at the scene of the alleged incident, according to the perspectives of others who were present.
The Law Offices of R. David Williams may also seek to prove that you were not actually driving during the incident. A defense indicating that your actions only constituted negligence and carelessness rather than recklessness is also common.
Call us today to schedule a free consultation and speak with an experienced Fort Lauderdale reckless driving lawyer so you can begin exploring your legal options.
Our core principles have always been a paramount attraction to our clients.
“Not gonna lie. I was scared at first – of course w anything w laws it’s very scary. But David was very professional , honest and true to his word. I felt so much better and confident that he was definitely gonna help me. And he did !! I’m truly grateful for him and his staff- his assistant Jessica is very warm and kind and is always on top of everything. Thank you guys so much!”
Most importantly, David Williams makes it a priority to give you personalized service and attention with regard to your criminal case. Call our office at your convenience for a free consultation. We will schedule a personal consultation at your convenience with the attorney to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your criminal case in Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach County. David Williams will provide you with the defense and counseling that is required to have a successful outcome for your criminal case.
David Williams prides himself on providing personal attention with regard to all aspects of your criminal or traffic matter. David Williams will provide you with a fair fee for the work required and will extend a payment plan that is suitable to your needs for your criminal matter.
Call (954) 522-9997 or fill out the short form below. We will usually respond within 1 business day but often do so the same day. Don’t hesitate, your questions are welcome.
* Required Fields
After-hours support is Now Available!
We are thrilled to introduce our after-hours answering service, which ensures prompt response to all of your queries regardless of the time. Our dedication to your satisfaction extends beyond regular business hours. Please feel free to contact us anytime; we will be more than happy to assist you.
Powered by Law Firm Marketing Pros
The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.