You might have heard the term “reckless driving” before, but you may not be sure what it means. We’ll discuss that in this article. We`ll also talk about what you should do if a reckless driver injures you.

This is excellent information to have because of how common these incidents are. Reckless driving can change your life, and not in a good way.

What Exactly Does Reckless Driving Mean?

The first thing worth knowing is how frequently reckless driving injuries occur. Take Florida, for instance. In the state of Florida, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles tells us that in 2018, there were nearly half a million car accidents.  

It’s hard to say precisely how many of those accidents reckless drivers caused, but you can bet it played a part in more than a few of them. Florida is also worth talking about because, in that same year, 3,135 people died in auto collisions.

As for what reckless driving means, the law states that it’s when a driver engages in behavior that willfully or wantonly disregards someone’s safety. That is a fairly broad definition, but it indicates the sort of behavior we’re discussing.

If you are on the road for any amount of time, you’re probably going to see reckless driving at some point. You have to hope that the driver engaging in that sort of behavior passes you by and doesn’t ram into you.

Reckless Driving Examples

We should also mention a few of the more common reckless driving examples. Maybe you’ve seen someone do something like one of these, or perhaps you’ve even acted this way yourself once or twice.

Tailgating another car is reckless driving. Tailgating occurs when you ride someone’s bumper to try and get them to move out of the way.

Running through a red light is reckless driving. Flashing your lights, yelling at someone, or displaying road rage signs are all reckless driving as well.

Excessive speeding counts as reckless driving if a cop sees you. Changing lanes without signaling is reckless driving, and that’s one of the most common examples you’ll see. There are plenty of drivers who seem to feel that signaling a lane change is optional.

Are There Other Crimes that Sometimes Accompany Reckless Driving?

The reality is that if someone is a reckless driver, it should not surprise you if they engage in other dangerous vehicular actions. Probably the most common crime you’ll see with reckless driving is the hit and run accident.

This is an instance where someone strikes another car, and they don’t wait for the police to show up to file a report. If someone speeds and hits another vehicle, they might not want to get a ticket. If the collision did not cripple their vehicle, they might decide to try and flee, hoping that no one got their license plate number at the crash site.

Impaired driving also happens sometimes, and that causes a driver to behave recklessly. If someone ingests alcohol or drugs before getting behind the wheel, and they hit another car, they’re even more likely to take off before the cops get there. If the police catch them, they could face a DUI, reckless driving, and fleeing an accident scene.

What About if a Reckless Driver Injures You?

At this point, you might wonder what you should do if a reckless driver injures you. Maybe they hit your car with their vehicle, or perhaps they run up on the sidewalk and strike you when you’re walking. You might be on a bike when they hit you as well.

If that happens, you’ll want to get that driver’s name, license plate number, and insurance information. You will also want to call the police, so they can get there and take your statement.

You might have a situation where the reckless driver wants to settle out of pocket right there. Maybe they offer to give you a little money if you don’t report the incident.

Don’t ever fall for this. Maybe you feel like the crash did not hurt you too badly, or the damage to your car isn’t that severe.

You can never tell if the car sustained more damage than you originally thought, though. You also don’t know what your physical condition is until a doctor looks you over thoroughly.   

Should You Sue the Other Driver?

You may wonder about whether you should sue the reckless driver. Suing someone can be a time-consuming process, and it can disrupt your life quite a bit. However, if a reckless driver hits you or your car, and your insurance does not provide you with enough money to pay for the damages, you may have no alternative.

If you decide that suing a reckless driver makes the most sense, you will have to contact and hire a competent lawyer who knows about these sorts of cases. Finding one should not be very hard. Many attorneys love these kinds of lawsuits because they can pay very well.

 

You do not necessarily have to give the lawyer any money down. You can hire them on contingency, meaning that you give them no money at all until and unless they win your case. At that time, they may demand as much as 40% of your winnings, so make sure you’ve worked out a satisfactory payment plan in advance.

The other driver may settle out of court. If they do, they can avoid a civil trial that way. Civil trials are different than criminal ones. Reckless driving is a criminal matter, though. Even if the driver who hit you or your vehicle settles with you and the money they hand over satisfies you, the police might still bring them up on additional charges.

You do not really need to worry about that. What matters more to you will be whether you get sufficient financial compensation to cover your vehicle repairs, medical bills, and the pain and suffering you have endured.