Does a reckless driving charge make me a bad guy?

No, neither a reckless driving charge nor a reckless driving conviction makes you a bad person. Reckless driving is not a moral judgment. A person is not necessarily “bad” just because he was driving more than 85 mph or violating the reckless driving law in another way just like a person is not necessarily “good” just because the person was traveling at or below the speed limit.

Reckless Driving Is a Legal Term

Reckless driving may not make a driver a bad person, but it could make a driver guilty of violating a Virginia state law. The general reckless driving statute in Virginia makes it a crime to operate “…a vehicle on any highway recklessly or at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person….”. Other Virginia statutes define specific ways that a driver may be driving recklessly. If you meet the elements of any of the statutes then you may be rightfully charged with and convicted of reckless driving, but you still may not be a bad person.

A Good Reason for Reckless Driving in Virginia May Not Be a Legal Defense

Even if you were driving recklessly, you may have had a good reason for doing so. For example, you may have been late to pick up your child, you may have been rushing to see a sick family member, or you may have been running late for a really important meeting. While these are understandable reasons for reckless driving, they may not be legal defenses for reckless driving.

Since you face a crime and the potential penalties that come with being convicted of a crime, it is important to focus on the legal aspects of your case rather than the moral aspects of your case. Attorney T. Kevin Wilson understands that while reckless driving is risky and against the law, not every person who is charged with reckless driving deserves to be convicted.

For a free and fair case evaluation, please contact The Wilson Law Firm today. Here, no judgments will be made about the charges against you. Instead, we will focus on specific elements of the law to determine how best to help you after a reckless driving charge.