Legal Definitions - reckless driving

Reckless driving

Reckless driving is when someone operates a vehicle in a dangerous and careless way. It is usually considered a crime. To determine if someone is driving recklessly, the situation is looked at closely. In New York, for example, reckless driving is defined as driving in a way that unreasonably interferes with the proper use of the road or puts other people in danger. Some examples of reckless driving include:

• Driving through a red light at high speed, swerving into other lanes, and crashing into another car
• Driving under the influence of drugs and crossing into the wrong lane of traffic
• Making a sudden U-turn across multiple lanes of traffic and hitting a motorcyclist

These examples show how reckless driving can put other people in danger and cause accidents. It is important to drive carefully and follow the rules of the road to avoid reckless driving.