Any person that drives a vehicle with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of other people can be charged with reckless driving. If you’re facing an accusation of this kind of crime, don’t hesitate to talk to our skilled Florida traffic offenses attorneys today. Depending on the circumstances, a reckless driving charge can lead to severe penalties.
Negligence vs Willful Conduct
If you’ve been charged with reckless driving, the prosecution needs to prove you willfully and wantonly drove your vehicle recklessly. Willfully means you knew you were driving dangerously and you were doing so on purpose. Wantonly means you drove with conscious indifference to the potential harm you may have caused to people or property. However, if you had no idea you were driving so dangerously, mere negligence is not enough to charge you with reckless driving.
Penalties
The punishment for driving recklessly will depend on the circumstances of your case. The more damage you caused, the more fines or time in prison you may accrue. If this is your 1st time recklessly driving, and you didn’t cause any injury or damage to property, you would be guilty of a 2nd-degree misdemeanor. The penalty for a 2nd-degree misdemeanor is up to 90 days in jail or 6 months of probation, and a $500 fine. If this is your 2nd or subsequent offense, the maximum penalty increases to up to 6 months in jail and up to $1,000 in fines. If you injured someone or damaged property during the crime, the charge would be a 1st-degree misdemeanor, and you could face up to 1 year in jail or 12 months of probation, and a $1,000 fine. Serious bodily injury or property damage would be a 3rd-degree felony and will result in up to 5 years in prison or 5 years of probation, and a $5,000 fine.