What Is Reckless Driving? (March 2025)

What Is Reckless Driving?

The exact reckless driving definition varies by state. Generally speaking, though, driving recklessly involves operating a vehicle dangerously with little to no regard for the safety of people or property.

While specific laws vary by state, reckless driving is usually taken very seriously. It dramatically increases the risk of accidents. If involved in a crash, a reckless driver is likely to cause more damage.

While it’s possible to be charged with reckless driving for excessive speed alone, you often must display additional dangerous behaviors like these:

• Running stop signs or red lights
• Street racing
• Driving under the influence
• Rapidly weaving through traffic
• Passing over double yellow lines
• Aggressive tailgating
• Fleeing from a police officer
• Texting while driving and other forms of distracted driving

Some of these behaviors — like street racing and DUI — are separate offenses. However, if your driving meets the criteria for both charges, it’s entirely possible to be charged with both DUI and reckless driving (or street racing and reckless driving) at the same time.

Is Reckless Driving a Criminal Offense?

In most states, reckless driving is a criminal offense. It is typically a misdemeanor, but there are some exceptions. For instance, reckless driving in Kentucky is considered a traffic offense.

Many states have reckless driving statutes that escalate the seriousness of the crime if certain aggravating factors are present. Having prior convictions can sometimes make this offense a more severe misdemeanor. And in certain cases, causing injury escalates the crime from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Consequences of a Reckless Driving Conviction

Even if they don’t involve car accidents, reckless driving convictions can be incredibly serious. The exact penalties that come with a conviction will vary based on your location and your unique circumstances. However, in many states, you can expect to face penalties like these:

Jail Time

Jail time is not a given if you’re convicted of reckless driving. However, many states sentence even first-time offenders to jail time. The time spent in jail can be as short as a few days or as long as a year (or more if the charge is upgraded to a felony). However, many states impose a jail sentence of around 90 days.

It’s important to note that unless your state has mandatory jail time for a reckless driving offense, you could be sentenced to community service or another alternative. This is where having an attorney becomes especially important.

Attorneys are familiar with the local legal system and available sentencing options. They are also skilled negotiators. Even if you are convicted, a good lawyer might be able to persuade a judge to offer you community service or probation instead of jail time.

Fines

In most cases, a reckless driving conviction comes with a fine. The amount of that fine varies considerably by state, but the average is around a few hundred to a thousand dollars. Many states will increase the fine if you have a previous conviction for reckless driving.

However, there are outlier states that charge much higher fines than others. For example, if you are convicted of aggravated reckless driving — reckless driving that causes serious bodily harm — in Illinois, you could face a fine of up to $25,000.

License Suspension

License suspension is generally not imposed by the court. Instead, a state’s department of motor vehicles (or a similar agency) will normally suspend a driver’s license once someone has been convicted of reckless driving.

Like fines, license suspensions can vary based on the state. Some will suspend your license for a few months, but others may impose a suspension of a year or more.

A Criminal Record

Most reckless driving convictions are misdemeanors, so they likely won’t cause as many difficulties as felonies. However, even having a misdemeanor on your record, especially if it’s a recent conviction, may make it harder to secure employment.

Some employers may not be overly concerned. Still, you are highly unlikely to get a job that involves operating a vehicle if you have a recent conviction for reckless driving.

Insurance Increases

If you’re wondering, “Why did my car insurance go up without an accident?” and you have a reckless driving conviction, the conviction is almost certainly behind the increase. If an insurer sees you’ve been convicted of reckless driving, it will see you as a greater risk to insure.

Are You Facing Reckless Driving Charges?

Being arrested and charged with reckless driving is much more serious than getting a traffic ticket. While it might be tempting to try to handle the matter yourself, it’s almost always a better idea to hire an experienced attorney. The right lawyer can assess your case and create a custom defense strategy.

Your choice of lawyer is incredibly important, so you shouldn’t rush through the process of selecting one. Not sure where to look? We can help. At ConsumerShield, we believe everyone should be able to empower themselves with legal knowledge and find qualified legal representation when they need it.

If you need an experienced reckless driving lawyer, don’t wait. Fill out our contact form for a free case review!