Reckless Driving Lawyer

The average person spends plenty of time driving on the road. People may use cars as a way to get to school, work, visit loved ones or run errands. The rules of the road were established to keep drivers orderly and safe. So when an officer sees a person driving in a manner that is questionable, they may pull him or her over and make an arrest if necessary. Those who have found themselves in handcuffs over reckless driving, may want to talk with a lawyer about how they can defend their innocence.

If I get arrested, should I talk with the officer about my side of the story?

When drivers start confessing their perspective of what happened and why they were driving a certain way, they may only be making the situation worse. It is rare that an officer lets a person go who is already in handcuffs, because they were able to talk their way out of it. It is best to remain quiet and speak only when you have to. If the officer prompts you for a statement, request that you talk with a lawyer before sharing more than you need to for your booking. When in doubt, staying silent yet cooperative may be the way to go.

What type of defenses could I use to avoid jail time?

There are many defense strategies that can be used to help protect you from serving very serious consequences. The repercussions for a reckless driving conviction can include jail time, suspended license, mark on record, raised insurance rates, dampered reputation, and expensive penalties/fines. After consulting with you further, a lawyer can offer advice on which defense strategy may be most suitable for your circumstances. Examples of defense approaches can include:

• You were not willful in your driving behavior, and had reason to be rushing (due to a personal or family emergency)
• You were not aware of the rules of the road due to the area lacking proper signage regarding speed limits or other warnings
• You were by definition acting more-so negligently, and not actually reckless
• You were arrested for speeding in excess, but the officer was not trained to measure your speed or the tool used was defective

Should I save money by representing myself in court?

In general, it is not recommended that a person facing a criminal charge represents themselves in court. A conviction for reckless driving tends to be immensely more serious compared to other driving violations. This is because along with reckless driving, you may have caused harm or damage to a person or property while acting in such a manner. Without legal assistance, it can be devastating to the verdict of your hearing. A judge may even want to inflict more severe consequences than is appropriate for the crime. A lawyer can help protect the driver from suffering worse punishments than he or she deserves. Otherwise, you are simply at the mercy of the court.

Source: Reckless Driving Lawyer Hillsville, VA, The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt