Reckless driving remains a broad term to describe a range of illegal and dangerous behaviors on the road. While many West Virginia commuters recognize that reckless driving often causes otherwise avoidable accidents, unsafe behaviors continue on the roads. Persons hurt by a reckless driver might suffer severe injuries, leaving them unable to work and struggling with medical bills.
Reckless driving and its dangers
Reckless driving involves someone’s utter disregard not only for other drivers but pedestrians, bicyclists and anyone else to whom the driver could inflict harm. Reckless driving may involve highly risky actions, such as crossing a double line, driving on the wrong side of the road or driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Other seemingly less risky behavior could also be reckless. Repeatedly changing lanes without a turn signal is a moving violation because it could cause a crash.
Speeding might be the most common example of reckless driving, and the faster a car travels, the harder it becomes to stop to avoid a collision. That said, even a car only traveling slightly above the speed limit may cause an accident.
Tailgating may contribute to a rear-end collision, and drivers might engage in this behavior when they want to force another vehicle into a different lane. Inappropriate and illegal decisions to tailgate could inflict more harm than a driver realizes.
Legal consequences for reckless drivers
Reckless drivers may attempt to justify their moving violations, but the claims could prove useless when defending liability for motor vehicle accidents. A driver who travels 20 mph over the speed limit for no reason other than being in a rush may be wholly responsible for a collision’s costs.
A negligent driver might face a civil lawsuit seeking compensation for financial losses caused by reckless driving. The driver could face punitive damages as well.
