Incidents of road rage and reckless driving seem to be increasingly in the news and cause a large number of accidents in the United States every year. While most people have an idea of what reckless driving looks like, they may not be aware of exactly what it entails.
What does reckless driving look like under Florida law?
Reckless driving involves purposefully ignoring safety
For a person to receive a reckless driving charge, they have to purposefully and knowingly disregard the well-being of others on the road. Someone who is unaware that their taillight is out, for example, would not necessarily be driving recklessly even though their lack of lights put others in danger when driving at night. In addition to disregarding others on the road, showing a disregard for property along the road is another form of reckless driving. Knowingly going way over the speed limit and running red lights are two of the many examples of reckless driving.
Penalties for reckless driving
Because it is so dangerous, there are stiff penalties for driving recklessly in Florida as well as in other states. For someone receiving a first offense, they might see jail time of up to 90 days and a fine of up to $500. As with most crimes, penalties for subsequent reckless driving charges are harsher than those for a first offense.
It is important for motorists to know what reckless driving entails so they can avoid doing something on the road that might result in such a charge.
