Texas Reckless Driving Laws
Reckless driving in Texas is defined by Texas Transportation Code, Section 545.401. Texas laws define reckless driving as the following:
A person commits an offense if the person drives a vehicle in wilful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.
Reckless driving penalties
Unlike a simple speeding ticket, reckless driving is a more serious offense. Under Texas Transportation Code, you can be charged with a misdemeanor. Getting convicted means it will go into your permanent record which shows up on criminal background checks. This can make getting employment difficult.
Reckless driving in Texas carries significantly lower penalties than in most other states. Each reckless driving conviction in TX will result in a fine of $200 or less, or imprisonment in county jail for up to 30 days, or both.
Depending on each case, there may be additional surcharges or court and lawyer costs involved. Reckless driving typically comes paired with other charges such as speeding or street racing. In case of death or injury to persons or damage to property it can come with felony charges, especially if the violation is classified as a Hit and Run.
In addition to fines, 2 points will be added against your driver license record, or 3 if involved in an accident. Your license will furthermore be automatically suspended for 30 days.
Proving reckless driving
Proving reckless driving or lack thereof in court can be difficult. Prosecutors must prove that you were intentionally driving with a “wanton disregard for safety“.
Reckless driving can potentially mean turning into a one-way street, running a red light, or even speeding, but proving you did it intentionally and knowingly can be a challenge.
If you are facing a reckless driving charge it’s highly advisable to consult a competent traffic attorney. Although reckless driving in Texas carries fairly low fines and jail time is unlikely, having this law violation in your permanent record can hurt your future chances of employment and even increase your car insurance rates.
Experienced lawyers can often plea your reckless driving charges to “simple” speeding, which carries significantly lower penalties. In some instances they may even be able to get the charger against you dropped completely.
Related charges
In addition to reckless driving, and depending on specific circumstances, you may even be charged with additional violations, potentially including:
- hit-and-run or assault
- speeding
- street racing
- driving under influence
Each charge can carry additional penalties and even felony charges which can amount to significant fees and jail time.
Texas Reckless Driving law reference: