The Average Court Costs for Reckless Driving
Each state has laws prohibiting people from driving in a reckless, willful or dangerous manner, with no care for the safety of passengers, pedestrians and other drivers. Reckless driving is a serious offense and classified as a misdemeanor.
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Penalties
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As a misdemeanor, reckless driving is less serious than a felony but can still result in up to a year in jail. Drivers can also face a maximum $2,500 fine and up to six months' license suspension.
Recklessness includes driving 25 mph or more over the speed limit, racing another vehicle, trying to escape a police officer and passing other vehicles in low visibility.
Costs
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Court costs vary but generally they can start between $100 and $300, increasing according to the seriousness of the charge. An eight-point speeding violation, for example, for driving 96 mph in a 65 mph zone is likely to incur costs of $1,100. If reduced to 2.4 points, the costs drop to between $205 and $355.
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Payments
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The court clerk charges for filing the initial complaint or petition and the sheriff's office charges for serving the legal summons.
Lawyers' fees are separate from court costs and cover telephone calls, secretarial expenses, courier charges, postage, document copying and any relevant witness payments.
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References
- Photo Credit speed limit image by bilderbox from Fotolia.com
