Traffic Lawyer

Reckless driving can lead to serious repercussions, including jail time, expensive fines, a raise in your insurance rates, suspension of license, and mark on your permanent record. When the stakes are high, a lawyer is likely to suggest not representing yourself. In situations like this where your finances, freedom, and future are at-risk, you may want to rely on a legal professional to guide you along the way.

Do Not Talk to Anyone Else

If you have been arrested for reckless driving, you may want to speak with an attorney prior to providing a statement about what happened to anyone. In the stress of the moment, many people who have been arrested try to plead their side of the story with the officer. This may not be the most helpful strategy, as there are things you may not want to share in the heat of the moment. By talking about the incident, it could actually make things much worse. Protect yourself by remaining quiet and only answering what you need to (like your personal information), while letting your story rest for now.

How Reckless Driving is Defined

Reckless driving is defined as when a driver operates a vehicle with a willful disregard for the risk of safety to other people and/or property. So, this means it is up to the officer to decide whether a person should be pulled over for driving carelessly. Depending on the officer, his or her perspective may have been skewed. Perhaps the officer did not understand the entire situation and made incorrect assumptions about how you were driving.

Consequences for a Conviction

Sometimes, a judge or court may apply overly aggressive or inappropriate consequences for someone convicted of reckless driving. A lawyer can create a defense strategy to help protect you from suffering unnecessary punishments. Here are examples of factors that can have an influence on what consequences you endure:

• Whether you have a criminal record already
• If you hurt anyone or damaged property while driving recklessly
• If you had children with you in the car at the time of arrest
• The type of reckless driving behavior
• If you were intoxicated or drunk behind the wheel

An attorney is not here to judge you or make you feel guilty for the reckless driving arrest. If you are interested, please call an attorney today to book your initial consultation with a lawyer.

Source: Traffic Lawyer Salem, VA, The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt