Getting behind the wheel of your vehicle may be a favorite pastime of yours. You may have always had an interest in vehicles, and you could not wait to get your North Carolina driver’s license as a teen. Though you consider yourself a good driver and know how to handle a vehicle, some actions could still come across as reckless to law enforcement.
No matter how in control of your vehicle you feel you are, what it looks like from the outside differs. As a result, a police officer may believe that you are driving in an unsafe manner, and you could end up pulled over. In a situation that does not go your way, you could receive a charge for reckless driving.
What does it mean to be reckless?
Specific reckless driving laws vary from state to state. However, some actions are reckless behavior, and an officer may have stopped you after suspecting you of carrying out any of the following acts:
- Cutting in and out of traffic
- Driving around a stopped school bus that had its stop sign out
- Running a stop sign or red traffic light
- Speeding at a high rate of speed
- Driving while intoxicated or under the influence
- Passing in no-passing zones, in a curve or on a hill
- Racing
In some cases, officers may have a bias when it comes to the type of vehicle a person drives as well. For example, police are more likely to stop sports cars and large trucks for reckless driving according to research statistics.
Understanding your situation
Because reckless driving laws vary, it is important that you understand why an officer accused you of this type of violation. You may believe that the officer did not have cause to consider your driving reckless, and you may consider fighting against the charge you received. Fortunately, you have the legal right to do so.
Because many traffic violations fall into the category of misdemeanors, some drivers do not feel the need to combat allegations of such offenses. However, it may be in your interests to do so. If you would like to gain reliable and applicable information about your legal rights when it comes to fighting a reckless driving charge, you may want to discuss your specific situation with an experienced attorney.
