Traffic deaths are reaching historic levels in many states even though fewer people were on the road in 2023.
One of the biggest issues that we see on the roads, and one that leads to a significant number of injuries and fatalities, is distracted driving. If you’re a parent, you must be concerned about your teenager getting behind the wheel, as they could be the victim or the cause of a careless driving-related accident.
Being at fault in a teen car accident can overwhelm any young person. If your teen just got charged with careless driving, protecting them as best you can should be your number one priority.
Today, we’ll give you some actionable tips, legal advice, and post-driving charge steps to keep your teen safe. Careless driving implications can be severe, so keep reading and do everything you can to keep your child out of trouble.
Consequences of a Careless Driving Charge
The first thing to understand as a parent is the consequences of a careless driving charge. It depends on the state in which you live and the severity of damage/injuries that the accident caused. If your child is under 18, you could be held liable for their careless driving.
Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, a careless driving charge that doesn’t result in injuries gets fines instead of jail time. The maximum fine for injury-free careless driving is just $400. Penalties increase a lot when bodily harm comes to another driver or pedestrian.
Fines for reckless driving causing bodily harm can reach $10,000. 18-year-olds tried as adults may even face up to 6 years of jail time.
Florida
Things are a little bit different in Florida. It’s considered a second-degree misdemeanor, however, the charges can result in up to 90 days in jail, 6 months of probation, or a $500 fine.
As in Wisconsin, the penalties increase significantly when the accident involves property damage or bodily harm. If the resulting injuries are considered serious, the charge becomes a third-degree felony and the driver could potentially get up to 5 years of jail time.
Post-Driving Charge Steps
So, if your teen finds themselves charged with distracted driving, they’re going to need your help. Facing thousands of dollars in fines and potential jail time is something a teen can’t truly comprehend. Follow these steps and you’ll be able to navigate the process with calmness and confidence.
Speak to Your Child
If your teen calls you after they’ve been charged with careless driving, make sure to get the whole story out of them. It can be frightening for a young person to deal with such a serious situation, so they may be liable to withhold some of the truth.
Encourage them to be truthful so that you can help them navigate the next steps. The more you know about what happened leading up to the accident, the easier it’ll be to relay that information to your legal counsel.
Speak to the Police
Next, you’ll want to speak to the police. In serious circumstances, your teen may be taken to the station. Either way, get hold of the responding officer to ask them questions about the charges and legal implications.
Get hold of the police report. This is an important piece of information that your legal team will need when helping you deal with the charge.
Talk to the Insurance Company
You need to speak to your insurance company to start the claims process. Your insurance company may have to pay for property damage, medical bills, and any other damages that result from your teen’s careless driving.
Contact a Lawyer
Lastly, and most importantly, find a great traffic ticket lawyer to guide you through the rest of the process. You can’t face something like this alone and your teen certainly can’t, so it’s crucial to find legal counsel who has experience with these kinds of cases.
Building a Case
Building a case to protect your teen against these charges will depend on the severity of the accident. The goal will be to prove that your teen was driving poorly, but not recklessly.
Inexperience
If they’re a relatively new driver, your legal team will use inexperience as a way to prove that they shouldn’t be criminally liable. For that to work, your teen can’t have been driving under the influence or driving while distracted by their smartphone.
False Witness Testimony
A lawyer could also challenge police report accuracy or witness observations to prove that your teen was driving carelessly out of necessity to avoid a greater danger. If successful, they may be able to reduce the charges or even have them dismissed.
Legal Advice for Teen Drivers
For their part, your teen needs to listen to legal counsel and avoid doing anything that could jeopardize their chances of success. After an accident, they should avoid admitting fault, but be respectful and allow the process to play out.
Whether or not your lawyer can lessen careless driving charges, your teen should take more care on the road from now on. The law has no tolerance for repeat offenders, no matter how young they are.
Teens need to refrain from looking at their phones while driving. Under no circumstances should they have any alcohol before driving, as this can result in far more severe penalties.
Teach your teen more about the traffic laws in your area. The more aware they are of the rules, especially after an incident, the more likely they’ll be to follow them.
If your teen is ever in another traffic stop, make sure they know how to act. They must always comply with the officer’s requests, and not seem combative.
Getting Legal Help After a Teen Careless Driving Charge
A teen car accident and careless driving charge are nothing to scoff at. They could change your teen’s life, whether it affects getting into schools or finding a job later in life. If you’re going to give them the best chance at getting back on track, you need a great lawyer.
RHINO Lawyers are Tampa’s leading auto injury and traffic attorneys with services in Wisconsin and New York as well. We’ll work one-on-one with you and your teen to develop the perfect legal strategy to keep them out of trouble. Contact us today for your free case evaluation.
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.
