Howard County Reckless Driving Lawyer
Reckless driving occurs when a person is driving a motor vehicle in wanton or willful disregard of the safety of other people or property around them. A Howard County reckless driving lawyer can combat any penalties that accrue related to the charge. Call a professional attorney today.
Scenarios of Reckless Driving
An example of reckless driving could be a person driving five miles over the speed limit in poor weather condition, when a reasonable person would be going fives under the speed limit. This could be considered reckless driving. Talk to a Howard County reckless driving lawyer for more examples or if there are questions on a specific situation.
Reckless Driving as Misdemeanor Offense
Reckless driving is classified as a misdemeanor. The fine for a first time reckless driving offense is not more than $6,000 and six points on a drivers license. In a conviction for reckless driving, the driver receives fines of no more than $1,000 and six points are assessed to a driver’s license.
Reckless Driving vs. Speeding Ticket
Reckless driving and speeding tickets are separate offenses. Reckless driving is a “must appear” ticket and there is no choice for a driver. They have to go to court. More often than not, because Howard County law enforcement is serious about traffic violations, the officer issuing the reckless driving offense will appear at the hearing.
The tickets for reckless driving cannot be paid ahead of time because it is a “must appear” ticket. Any must appear ticket outside of reckless driving, in general, cannot be prepaid. If a driver prepays, they will still get a “failure to appear” and the court will open a warrant out on the person. Reckless driving charges cannot be prepaid. A Howard County reckless driving lawyer can offer more insight.
Penalties for Reckless Driving
The fine for reckless driving is $510 but could increase to $1,000 at the judge’s discretion and six points on a license. If the person already has points on their license, that could put them at risk for suspension.
Again, it is important to understand that a person can expect for the officer to appear at the hearing. It will make the situation more difficult, but a Howard County reckless driving lawyer will challenge the violation to try to get the best outcome for an individual.
Treatment of Reckless Driving
Howard County takes traffic violations very seriously. It is known for its strict stand on traffic matters. The violation can be negotiated down, the officer or judge may be willing to reduce the charges and, thus, the number of points can be reduced on a person’s license.
Role of an Attorney
It is important to retain an experienced attorney who understands how Howard County treats traffic violations. Not everyone would understand the courts of each county. With a qualified Howard County reckless driving lawyer, a person will be more reassured, will be well-informed on legal implications, and they will not face the hearing on their own. Consult with a lawyer today to see what you can do about your situation.