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Reckless Driving Violations

If you’ve been arrested in Illinois for reckless driving, you need an experienced Chicago reckless driving lawyer to fight your charges. People who are convicted of reckless and drunk driving may face severe consequences, such as driver’s license suspension, hefty fines, and jail time. Even a first-time traffic offender may face serious consequences. The best way to beat reckless driving charges and other traffic violations is by hiring a knowledgeable DUI defense lawyer.

At Dohman Law Group, we have defended thousands of clients plagued with a threat of reckless driving conviction, and we can help you. To schedule a free initial consultation, contact our Cook County law office at (847) 616-9993, or chat with us online to learn how we can help.

What is Reckless Driving?

According to Illinois, subsection 625 ILCS 5/11-503, reckless driving is operating a motor vehicle with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of other persons or property. Often reckless driving occurs if a reckless driver has committed multiple moving violations, including improper lane usage and speeding

What are the Penalties for Reckless Driving?

In Illinois, reckless driving is a Class A misdemeanor offense that’s punishable by up to one year in prison and maximum fines of $2,500. Since reckless driving is a criminal offense, the offender may be placed under arrest instead of being given a citation, at the police officer’s discretion. 

If the reckless driving offense causes bodily harm, permanent disability, or disfigurement to another person, you might be charged with aggravated reckless driving, which is a Class 4 felony offense. Here a reckless driver is subject to 1-3 years in jail, and a maximum fine of $25,000. 

pulled over for reckless driving

If a reckless driver causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or disfigurement to a child under the age of 16 or a school crossing guard while the guard is performing their official duties, the driver may be charged with aggravated reckless driving, which is a Class 3 felony offense. This offense is punishable by 2-5 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $25,000.

Also, the offense of reckless driving carries potentially serious license suspension or revocation consequences. A traffic offender convicted of reckless driving two or more times within q 12-month period is subject to the loss of driving privileges. 

What are the Long-Term Consequences of Reckless Driving?

Your driver’s license won’t be suspended because of reckless driving unless you already have two strikes against you. Illinois is three strikes within 12 months state, which means if you have three moving violations within a year, the Secretary of State will suspend your driver’s license. 

If this is your third reckless driving conviction, you’ll lose your drivers’ license; however, reckless driving isn’t an automatic license suspension charge like other charges, such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI) charges. Thus, in Illinois, reckless drivers aren’t subject to automatic license suspension. 

However, in Illinois, after a reckless driving conviction, you’ll get points on your driver’s license. Insurance companies can access these points on your record, and they use this to justify an increase in insurance premiums over the long run. 

In Illinois, if you’re convicted of reckless driving, you’ll have demerit points assessed on your license more often than not.  These points are typically reported to insurance companies, which can increase insurance premiums over the long run. Thus, the long-term effects of traffic violations, such as reckless driving and drunk driving, are that they increase your annual spending on auto insurance. That’s because insurance companies think you’re more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle accident. Also, they believe you’re more likely to file for an insurance claim. 

Thus, the more moving violations you have on your driving record, the more your insurance costs. Sometimes, your insurance company may even refuse to renew your auto insurance policy. 

A traffic offense, such as reckless driving, is a Class A criminal charge, thus the chances of your insurance rates increasing are very high. 

Is it better to have DUI or reckless driving?

Typically, reckless driving offenses carry less severe criminal penalties than DUI charges. Thus, a wet reckless plea deal means less potential jail time and lower fines than would result from a DUI conviction.

Also, a wet reckless plea can have benefits regarding license-related consequences. In most states, judges suspend a motorist’s license for reckless driving. However, for DUI convictions, the license suspension is mandatory and lasts for six months to a year. You will also have to endure the process and costs of having your license reinstated. Further, a DUI conviction will add more traffic violation demerit points to your driving record than a reckless driving violation. 

DUI convictions and reckless driving convictions carry different criminal penalties; however, a wet reckless conviction can count before a DUI. thus, in most a person with a wet reckless conviction and is then convicted of a DUI, he or she will be sentenced as a repeat DUI offender

Should You Get a Lawyer for Reckless Driving?

There are many negative consequences if you receive reckless driving charges in Chicago. Apart from the cost of traffic tickets,  possible fines, and even jail time, you’ll most likely receive demerit points on your license. Typically, these points are reported to insurance companies and they can increase your insurance costs over the long run. This could increase your annual spending on car insurance to upwards of hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a year. This partially depends on your driving record and on your insurance company.

So, to reduce the effects of a reckless driving conviction on your record, it’s essential to consult with an experienced Chicago reckless driving attorney. An experienced attorney can help to keep your driving record clean. 

Reckless driver

Further, having an experienced traffic defense attorney by your side can make a tremendous difference on whether you succeed at a court hearing to reinstate your driver’s license after license suspension or revocation. Contact a Rolling Meadows DUI lawyer at Dohman Law Group for a no-cost initial consultation.

According to Illinois law, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs starts with the suspicion of drunk driving by a police officer. Often, this happens via observation of a traffic violation or when responding to a motor vehicle traffic accident. A suspicion of impairment may occur when a police officer observes your behavior, demeanor, and physical appearance.

If an officer suspects you’re driving while intoxicated, they may ask you to submit to a series of field sobriety tests, breathalyzer tests, and chemical testing. Most traffic offenders don’t know that they can challenge the validity of tests. An experienced traffic lawyer can help you beat your traffic charges by challenging field sobriety tests, challenging breathalyzer test results, and challenging any other evidence against you. 

A conviction for a misdemeanor or felony of reckless driving can lead to severe criminal penalties, including jail time and hefty fines. To ensure the best outcome in your reckless driving case, you need the help of a knowledgeable reckless driving attorney. An experienced lawyer can challenge the credibility of the arresting officer and the accuracy of the tests used to convict you.

Many people charged with misdemeanors, such as reckless driving go to court with no legal representation. Police officers and prosecutors pressure some defendants to accept plea deals to avoid going to jail, only to find that their sentence was suspended and may still face a prison sentence in the future. Other defendants are told that if they seek the legal services of a public defender, they’ll need to pay back some legal costs in the form of legal fees and fines. 

However, regardless of the circumstances, having the legal guidance of an experienced traffic defense lawyer can have a substantial impact on the outcome of your case. For instance, you may jump at the opportunity to get out of jail when offered a plea deal. However, you may not be aware of the valid defenses you’ll lose by accepting the plea deal. Unfortunately, most defendants don’t know this when they waive their right to legal representation. Thus, when you’re arrested or charged with reckless driving, seek the legal services of a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. A criminal defense attorney can help you get your charges reduced or even dismissed. 

If you’ve been charged with reckless driving, you must hire an experienced DUI criminal defense lawyer to represent you in court. Our law firm has handled hundreds of reckless driving cases throughout the Chicago area, including Cook County, DuPage County, and Lake County. We know that every case is unique and needs special and personalized attention. Our driver defense team will provide the high-quality legal representation you need to get your traffic charges reduced or dismissed. To schedule a free initial consultation, call our criminal defense law firm today or chat with us online to learn how we can help.

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