Driving may be one of your passions. Ever since you were young you likely could not wait to get your driver’s license, and once you reached that milestone, you may have stayed behind the wheel as often as possible. Of course, your passion may have also led to your testing the limits more often than you should have.
Even if you felt entirely in control of your vehicle, authorities may consider some of the actions you carried out reckless. As a result, if a police officer allegedly witnesses you maneuvering your vehicle in a way he or she considers dangerous, you could wind up facing charges for reckless driving.
A criminal offense
Though you may consider a certain action part of your expert driving repertoire, an officer could consider it negligent or reckless. Therefore, you could face criminal charges for any of the following behaviors or actions:
- Excessive speed: Going fast may make driving seem more fun and exciting for you, but Pennsylvania law considers excessive speed a form of reckless driving as you put other travelers at risk.
- Racing: You may consider racing an opportunity for you to participate in an activity that you feel passionate about while also showing others your abilities. However, if you race on a public road, you could face criminal charges.
- Passing with limited visibility: Though you may not consider having a limited view something to hold you back, attempting to pass a vehicle on a hill or in a curve could be deemed reckless behavior.
- Aggressive driving: If you tailgate other drivers, attempt to block their way or carry out other actions that some may view as aggressive, you could also land in legal trouble.
- Disregarding safety rules or traffic signals: Though these rules and signals are in place to help travelers stay safe, you may feel that you can bend these rules due to your driving skills. However, an obvious disregard for these rules could lead to a traffic stop and charges.
In addition to these specific examples, an officer could also use his or her discretion to determine whether any maneuvers you carried out should be deemed reckless.
A criminal defense
As with any criminal charge, you have the right to create and present a criminal defense against accusations of reckless driving. If you do not know where to start in order to create a meaningful presentation, obtaining information on your legal options may prove useful.
