Reckless Driving Charges in Washington State

By The Law Offices of Lance Fryrear
reckless driving, speeding car

What Is Reckless Driving?

Reckless Driving is defined by RCW 46.61.500 as "any person who drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property."

As you can see, the problem with the legal definition of Reckless Driving is that it is very broad. It is up to the police officer’s discretion whether to charge you with this crime. If you are charged with Reckless Driving, the officer had the choice to issue one or several traffic infractions instead of citing you for this crime.

Approaching this charge can be confusing and frustrating—you may feel unsure of what to do. We recommend contacting an attorney right away, so they can guide you through the process with ease and fight to get you the best outcome possible.

What Are The Penalties for a Reckless Driving Charge?

  • Reckless Driving is a gross misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and/or a $5000 fine.
  • A Reckless Driving conviction is accompanied by a mandatory driver's license suspension of a minimum of 30 days.
  • Once your license suspension has passed, you will be required to maintain SR-22 (high-risk) insurance for 3 years.

Dealing with this type of charge can be stressful and costly. Given the overly-broad definition of the crime, we recommend retaining an attorney who routinely defends against these charges because they are often successful in getting them reduced to infractions or thrown out. Additionally, your attorney may ask you to take affirmative steps to help your case, such as attending a traffic safety course. We also suggest avoiding further complications by regularly checking your license status on the Department of Licensing website, by accessing your License eXpress account.

Contact Us for Assistance in Your Reckless Driving Case

If you have been arrested or charged with Reckless Driving, there is hope. You and your attorney can work together to try to navigate this situation. To learn more, give our office a call at (425) 224-7075. We will listen to you, answer your questions, ease your stress, and resolve your case. Owner and principal attorney Lance Fryrear of The Law Offices of Lance Fryrear has defended the accused in Lynnwood and throughout Washington for the past 20 years. We will do everything we can to help and support you through this process.

Give us a call at (425) 224-7075 to learn more!

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