Anne Arundel County Reckless Driving Lawyer

If you have been issued a citation for reckless driving, you may be wondering what your next steps are. Deciding whether to pay a citation and take the associated consequences or to challenge the charge in court can be challenging. An Anne Arundel County reckless driving lawyer could give legal advice on your rights, and which path may be most beneficial in your case. A local traffic attorney could have experience working with the judges and officers in your case and may be able to help you negotiate.

What is Reckless Driving?

Reckless driving is operating a vehicle in a manner that is in reckless and wanton disregard for the safety of other drivers, pedestrians, and even property in their vicinity. If a dangerous driving behavior is more than negligent or absent-minded and enters into potentially dangerous behavior, a reckless driving charge is likely to be leveled.

A person might get a significant number of points against their license and even assessed large fines if found guilty. Those convicted are often required to attend driver improvement classes. Also, they may potentially lose their license if they have prior offenses, convictions, or points on their license.

Differentiating Between Speeding and Reckless Driving

While someone speeding may also be charged with reckless driving an individual could also drive recklessly without speeding. Driving under the speed limit does not constitute speeding, but if the driver is going the wrong way down a highway, they are certainly reckless and endangering those around them.

Reckless driving is the behavior of endangering people and property around the driver whether it is from swerving between lanes, riding the shoulder, or speeding to great excess, though speed is not necessarily an indicator of reckless driving. The misdemeanor charge can also include overly aggressive driving, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, or attempting to elude the police.

Legal Process of Reckless Driving Cases

Court dates are not necessarily a requirement for reckless driving charges in Anne Arundel County. It is possible to prepay a reckless driving citation without ever having to step foot in a courtroom.

However, drivers must make a decision about whether they want to pay the fine outright, or request a court date so they may contest the citation with the help of an Anne Arundel County reckless driving lawyer. Depending on how many points are on a license, restriction and even suspension of that license may be possible, and a skilled attorney could help minimize or entirely eliminate those consequences.

Depending on the concurrence of additional traffic charges, there may or may not be a prosecutor. For minor traffic offenses, there will only be testimony from the charging officer and relevant evidence. However, for more serious charges, or when people have been harmed or property damaged, there may be a regular criminal prosecutor representing the state.

Call an Anne Arundel County Reckless Driving Attorney

A local attorney may be able to negotiate with the charging officer in court to either challenge evidence or mitigate potential penalties from the judge. Officers generally have limited legal training, and therefore may not perform well against an experienced Anne Arundel County reckless driving lawyer, increasing your chances of potentially avoiding severe repercussions. An attorney could act as a legal advocate and guide through the court process associated with reckless driving tickets. As soon as you receive a citation for reckless driving, you should call a seasoned lawyer to discuss your rights and legal options.