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Is reckless driving a criminal offense in Florida?
I just got a ticket for reckless driving. I live in Florida and was speeding on the highway (and weaving through other cars). Now I’m trying to learn more about what to expect from the ticket. Is reckless driving a criminal offense?
Samuel Todd · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Unfortunately, reckless driving is a criminal offense in Florida. We’ll walk you through some of the basics of reckless driving so that you know what to expect.
First, a little background on reckless driving. Legally speaking, reckless driving has two elements:
- You drove a motor vehicle.
- You drove with a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.
Obviously, the first element is satisfied. The second one is a bit trickier, though—and you might want to hire a lawyer to help you piece together a defense.
In this context, willful or wanton disregard means that you drove the car without caring about the consequences. That is, you knew there could be damage to property or harm to people, but still sped and wove through cars anyway.
Here’s a breakdown of the penalty you might be facing:
- If it’s your first offense and it resulted in no bodily injury or property damage, it’s a second-degree misdemeanor, which could result in 90 days of jail time (or six months’ probation) and a $500 fine.
- If it’s your second offense, jail time jumps up to six months and the fine could be as high as $1,000.
- If the driving caused harm or damage to property, the consequences will be far more serious (and could potentially even be a felony).
Since reckless driving is a criminal offense, it could go onto your permanent record, which would hurt your chances of employment. So, it’s best to hire a lawyer who can help you understand the process and design a strong defense.
A reckless driving ticket will cause your insurance rates to spike. If you want to fight to keep them down, use
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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