Reckless driving is a bit confusing because it can include numerous different violations. The person may be speeding, for instance, or they might run a red light.
But these events on their own are not necessarily reckless driving. The key lies in whether or not the person was taking these actions intentionally.
For instance, if a driver simply makes a mistake and doesn’t stop for a red light, it may still be a serious error and they may be at fault for an accident, but it’s not reckless driving. If that person is intentionally going 100 miles an hour in a 55-mph zone, however, or they run the red light on purpose, they have demonstrated a “willful or wanton disregard for safety.” This is when they could be accused of reckless driving because they knew what they were doing put other people in danger and they chose to do it anyway.
What types of accidents could this cause?
Reckless drivers are very dangerous to others who have to share the road with them because they may make avoidable mistakes. For instance, they could cause rear-end accidents if they are tailgating at a high rate of speed. They could go out of turn at a four-way stop, refusing to wait for other drivers and causing a T-bone accident.
In some cases, reckless drivers cause pedestrian accidents. For instance, a driver could lose control of their vehicle while operating it at a high rate of speed, leave the roadway and drive up onto the sidewalk. Pedestrian accidents are very likely to result in severe injuries or even fatalities.
Every day, reckless drivers cause accidents that injure others. Those who suffer harm need to know how they can seek financial compensation for medical bills and related costs.