Reckless Driving

Reckless Driving Defense Lawyers

In Georgia, any individual driving a motor vehicle with careless disregard for the safety of other motorists or property, perpetrates the crime of Reckless Driving. Reckless Driving is a criminal offense that, by itself, is charged as a misdemeanor criminal offense in Georgia. If convicted of Reckless Driving in Georgia, the defendant will be punished with a jail sentence of up to 12 months, by a fine of up to $1,000.00, or both. Moreover, a Reckless Driving conviction will place four points against your driver's license and raise your monthly car accident insurance premiums. The Department of Motor Vehicles may also suspend your driver’s license.

Each subsequent Reckless Driving conviction is punished with more severe penalties. If the reckless driver injured or killed another person, the reckless driver could be held civilly liable. In many cases, an experienced Reckless Driving Defense Attorney can successfully petition the court to stay or suspend the execution of a jail sentence and place the defendant on probation.

Most people do not realize that Reckless Driving is a very serious criminal offense due to the nature of the crime. This is because a Reckless Driving criminal offense on someone's criminal history can damage a person's reputation. A conviction on your criminal record will have a lasting negative effect on your employment opportunities and much more. This is because a Reckless Driving conviction must be disclosed as a criminal charge when filling out various applications. 

Reckless Driving is illegal in Georgia because it often causes accidents that result in substantial property damage, severe injuries, and fatalities. In essence, Reckless Driving is deemed dangerous driving. 

Almost every driver in Georgia has witnessed another person operating a motor vehicle recklessly, especially in metropolitan areas. The number of Reckless Driving incidents in Georgia over the past year has been at record levels due to the coronavirus. Many drivers are engaging in dangerous driving behaviors such as "Super Speeding" since there are motor vehicles on the road. 

The following are only a few examples of Reckless Driving in Georgia:

• Driving too fast for conditions
• Excessive braking without reason
• Tailgating
• Passing in the emergency lane 
• Weaving in-and-out of traffic
• Failing to obey traffic devices
• Failing to yield for pedestrians
• Failing to yield at crosswalks, signals, or signs
• Drifting
• Fleeing from law enforcement officers
• Street racing
• Super speeding
• Road rage
• Wheelies
• Doughnuts
• Distracted driving
• Following dangerously close
• Fishtailing
• Intoxicated driving (even if under the legal limit)

Many criminal offenses might bring a Reckless Driving criminal charge. For example, if a driver has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, law enforcement officers might add a charge of Reckless Driving.

While Reckless Driving is typically a misdemeanor criminal charge in Georgia, that assumes no people were harmed during the careless behavior. If an individual convicted of Reckless Driving caused serious injuries or death to another person, they could face more severe felony criminal penalties. This is especially true in hit-and-run or DUI Manslaughter cases.

Super Speeder Law

In Georgia, any driver who is speeding at 75mph or more along a two-lane road or is driving 85 mph or faster on any highway in Georgia is guilty of "Super Speeding." The punishments for "Super Speeding" include an extra $200 fine on top of any fines and punishments assessed by the court. 

Injuries From Reckless Driving Georgia

According to the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, there are approximately 400,000 motor vehicle accidents. These incidents resulted in over 1,400 deaths and nearly 20,000 bodily injury cases. 

The most common types of injuries caused by Reckless Driving include:

• Amputations
• Broken bones
• Concussions
• Death
• Internal organ damage
• Internal bleeding
• Loss of limbs
• Organ damage
• Spinal injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Whiplash injuries

If a driver is convicted of Reckless Driving and has caused an accident resulting in severe injuries, property damage, or death of another, the driver could face a personal injury lawsuit resulting in a devastating financial hardship. Civil cases cost tens of thousands of dollars to defend against, and jury awards could reach 6- to 7- figures. 

If you or a loved one have been charged with a Reckless Driving criminal offense in the Atlanta metropolitan area, there is a lot at stake. You need an experienced Atlanta Reckless Driving Defense Attorney to review your case and prepare your legal defense. Do not delay in preparing your Reckless Driving defense. Several critical hearings are coming up that will affect the outcome of your case. An experienced Traffic Defense Lawyer will work hard to reduce or dismiss your criminal charges.