Are you wondering whether you need a lawyer after an accident?
Reckless driving results in around 6 million accidents on U.S. roads every year. These lead to millions of injuries and hundreds of thousands of fatalities. As such, the law requires people to avoid reckless driving whenever possible.
If you’ve driven in a reckless fashion, you may need an attorney. But many drivers don’t know what counts as reckless driving. Below, we’ll get into the different types of reckless driving. This will help you determine whether you need a car accident lawyer. Keep reading to learn more!
Reckless Driving: A Basic Definition
Reckless driving means operating a vehicle in a manner that is not careful or prudent.
Wise drivers take the dangers of the road into account when they get behind the wheel. They’re able to judge their position on the road as well as the curves and angles they need to navigate. They know the relevant driving laws in the United States and are able to drive in a way that prevents accidents.
To avoid reckless driving, people need to get their driver’s license. Getting your driver’s license provides you with the proper education about laws and the best driving techniques. When followed, these laws can help you avoid accidents and stay out of legal trouble due to reckless driving.
Reckless driving endangers lives, but you don’t need to be in an accident to get charged. If another driver notices you driving recklessly, they can report you to the authorities. Likewise, an officer can pull you over and issue you a fine or suspend your license.
Driving Under the Influence
One of the most common types of careless driving is operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Substances impair your ability to make the good, quick judgments necessary while driving.
They can also mess with your ability to drive in a straight line. Those who know they’re under the influence might drive significantly under the speed limit to keep themselves from getting in trouble. This can cause an accident since the other drivers are going faster.
Your spatial awareness also isn’t operating at peak performance if you’re drunk or high. Your reflexes also aren’t working as quickly. So, you’re more likely to hit another car and cause a serious accident.
Many people who are high or drunk overestimate their ability to operate a vehicle. So, it’s best to ask a friend to drive you home or use a transportation service if you’ve been drinking or taking drugs.
Criminal Charges and Driving Under the Influence
People who drive under the influence can get fined or incur criminal charges.
If you’ve received criminal allegations for driving under the influence, you’ll need a lawyer to help with your defense case. Hire one as soon as possible so your case can have the best potential outcome!
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is the easiest form of reckless driving to partake in. As a driver, you have the legal obligation to keep your attention focused on the road at all times, even if there’s something else taking your attention away.
As such, many areas have banned distracting activities such as texting while you drive. You also shouldn’t use your phone at all unless you can do so in a hands-free way. Even changing the radio station or turning to face passengers in the backseat can cause a distraction.
As such, it’s always best to pull over if something needs to get addressed immediately. Otherwise, texts, calls, and all other forms of distraction can wait.
Distractions can also come from the outside. For instance, most drivers slow down to look at an accident or interesting roadside views. Yet, these can lead to accidents, so it’s best to avoid them.
Swerving Through Traffic
Swerving through traffic constitutes a third form of reckless driving. People swerve for several reasons. First, they may do it when there’s a lot of traffic and they don’t want to wait in long lines. Second, some do it when they’re about to miss an exit and need to move several lanes over.
Yet, swerving is never worth it unless you’re doing it to avoid an accident. You could end up getting fined or in a serious accident.
Instead of swerving, look for alternate routes to your final destination. This should get you out of traffic faster or help you re-route yourself after missing an exit.
Running Red Lights and Stop Signs
If you’ve run a red light or stop sign, you’ve driven in a reckless fashion. Some people do this on accident, but others blow through traffic stops so they can get to their destination faster.
To avoid running red lights and stop signs, you should make sure you’re directing the proper amount of attention to road signs and fixtures. Watch for people stopping ahead of you as well. This might alert you to a stop sign or red light you don’t see yet.
Drag Racing
Drag racing may sound fun, but it’s a sure way to get in trouble with the law or get in a huge accident. Racing on public roads gets dangerous because racers do not follow the laws or go with the flow of traffic. Instead, they often cut people off and create hazardous road conditions.
Street racing can earn you thousands of dollars in fines and some time in jail.
When Do You Need a Lawyer?
If you’ve received a criminal charge for reckless driving, you’ll need to hire a lawyer.
A good lawyer will take a look at your case and help you best navigate it. They’ll gather evidence to use in your favor in the court and try to get you acquitted or lessen your sentence.
Ready to Hire a Lawyer?
If you’ve read this and determined your situation was brought about by reckless driving, you should start looking for a lawyer as soon as possible.
The right legal professional will have years of experience working with clients like you. They’ll have a great reputation for practicing in their area as well.
Our team meets both of those objectives. If you need a lawyer today, contact us to learn more about what we can do to help you!
CONTACT TAMPA TRAFFIC TICKET ATTORNEY
RHINO Lawyers can help and guide you through a system molded by law enforcement, judges, and lawyers for decades. Having won cases for our clients in similar circumstances, our criminal defense team knows what it takes to fight on your behalf.
Let RHINO Lawyers answer your questions and review the facts of your case with a Free Consultation. So, get started by completing the “Free Instant Case Evaluation” or by calling us any time, day or night, at (844) RHINO-77.
