Reckless Driving – Helpful Tips To Avoid Reckless Driving Accidents

In today’s world, driving has become a big part of our lives. So big that every state has a set of laws that regulate how we should behave when we’re driving a vehicle on the roads. As you might already know, driving in an unsafe or extremely reckless manner is a crime in itself because of the fact that cars can prove to be very dangerous. Those charged with such crimes will possibly have to face very strict penalties.

Reckless driving is a crime that can happen when the way someone is driving a car is putting others at risk of suffering harm or damage. Unlike other traffic rules such as crossing the speed limit, reckless driving is very much dependent on the underlying circumstances of every case.

However, there are some actions that can amount to reckless driving. For instance, a driver who operates a vehicle in an unreasonably risky manner can be convicted of this crime.

Understanding Reckless Driving

In order to help develop a better understanding of the crime of reckless driving, read on as we discuss this in a little more detail.

Factors

Courts take into account a number of different factors when they are determining what qualifies as reckless driving in every case. These factors can include the characteristics of the vehicle, relevant weather conditions, time of the day, presence of any roadside obstacles, condition of the road, the driver’s knowledge of the area, and other such possibly relevant factors.

Beyond negligent

To prove reckless driving, it has to involve more than just being negligent or making a mistake when operating a vehicle. While there is no requirement of coming up with evidence regarding the mental state of the driver at the time of the accident, the driver has to willfully act with a blatant disregard for others’ safety. It may be sufficient to show that the crime of reckless driving has been committed where it can be proved that the circumstances of the accident could have caused the driver to acknowledge, or that he or she should have known, that their actions were unreasonable.

Safety risk

While the crime of reckless driving will usually involve some amount of danger to another, it does not necessarily mean that evidence should show that someone was actually placed at risk. The crime can be committed even when no one else is present on the street or when there is no possibility of damaging anyone else’s property. It is enough for the crime to be committed in order to be seen as driving recklessly where it can be proved that the drivers have endangered their own lives or risked damaging their own property.

“Per se” reckless driving

“Per se” here means by or in itself. According to laws, particular conditions can directly amount to the crime of reckless driving. If it can be proved with evidence that one of such per se conditions was present at the time of the accident, it will mean that the driver was reckless. Some of the more common “per se” conditions can include taking part in a drag race, passing a railroad crossing, speeding 20 miles per hour or more over the speed limit, and fleeing a law enforcement officer.

Avoiding Reckless Driving

Authorities and insurance companies are able to see the risks of reckless driving clearly. Harming other drivers, yourself, their vehicles, personal property, and others on the road are just some of the possible consequences of reckless driving.

A state may require high-risk or reckless drivers to file for an SR-22 certificate. If you have been charged with reckless driving, learn more about SR-22 insurance and how it works. It is important to note that the SR-22 period may start over if drivers continue to receive reckless driving charges. Such drivers may even face stricter driving penalties.

We should do everything we can to avoid a reckless driving charge. Let’s now look at some helpful tips on how you can reduce this risk to avoid reckless driving incidents.

Read up on traffic/driving laws

Many of us are not fully aware of all of the state’s driving and traffic laws, and some fail to understand these laws. Not being able to understand speed requirements, right of way laws and certain signs could mean we can accidentally break any of these laws which could lead to a reckless driving charge.

All drivers should now and then brush up on their basic knowledge of state driving laws. Moreover, passing a defensive driving course and reviewing the state driving handbook can help anyone learn to be safer on the roads.

Put your mobile phones away

The most common reason for reckless driving accidents is distracted drivers. The biggest distraction is mobile phones. Multiple states penalize drivers who use mobile devices while driving. Always avoid using mobile devices while driving. Texting or scrolling through your mobile phone while driving may lead to speeding, accidents, and possibly fatal harm to others.

It is worth mentioning that another common cause of distracted driving is impaired driving. Always avoid driving while intoxicated, especially under the influence of illegal drugs.

Have hearing and vision tests

Drivers with hearing and vision disabilities can pose driving risks. Many states already require drivers to pass hearing and vision tests in order to obtain a driving license. Needless to say, proper hearing and vision abilities enable drivers to react and avoid potential hazards while driving.

No driver should operate a vehicle without wearing glasses, contacts, or hearing aid devices if they are required and expected of them.