Our experienced criminal law legal team can help you if you’re facing reckless driving charges in Nevada. Nevada Revised Statutes 484B.653 is Nevada’s reckless driving law. Reckless driving is a serious criminal offense in the state of Nevada. Here’s what you should know about this crime from our criminal lawyers in Las Vegas:
Reckless driving in Nevada is any driving that shows a deliberate disregard for the safety or property of others. Drag racing also counts as reckless driving in Nevada. Reckless driving is a violation of Nevada law 484B.653.
A reckless driving charge is a catch-all of any kind of purposefully dangerous driving. It’s a serious criminal charge that can result in jail time even if no one gets hurt. Nevada’s dangerous driving laws encourage people to drive carefully and cautiously. With about 1,200 vehicle accidents causing serious injuries in Nevada each year, reckless driving laws curb dangerous driving behaviors.
To prove a reckless driving charge in Nevada, the state must prove the following:
Willful or wanton means deliberate; it means not caring if something happens. Willful or wanton disregard for the safety of others doesn’t mean causing harm intentionally, but it means purposefully taking actions that a reasonable person should know are likely to result in harm. Another way to put it is that willful or wanton disregard is a conscious disregard of the safety of others.
The penalties for reckless driving in Nevada are:
If your reckless driving involves drag racing or a speed contest, the court may order you to perform community service. The court may issue an automatic suspension of your driver’s license. Court fines increase for a second and third reckless driving offense.
If reckless driving results in injury or death, the offense is a felony. The offender may serve up to six years in prison and pay a fine of up to $5,000. If reckless driving causes injury or death and results from evading a police officer, the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
Here are some examples of driving that may be reckless driving in Nevada:
Defenses to reckless driving charges in Nevada include:
Reckless driving is a relatively common plea to a Nevada drunk driving charge. If you’re facing a drunk driving charge, reckless driving is a good plea option in some circumstances. With a reckless driving plea, you don’t have a drunk driving conviction on your record. Avoiding a drunk driving conviction helps you avoid the stigma of a DUI. If you plead guilty to reckless driving and get a DUI charge later, you won’t face enhanced penalties of a repeat offender.
A related charge to reckless driving in Nevada is aggressive driving. Nevada law 484B.650 is Nevada’s aggressive driving law. Speeding in a school zone or work zone is automatically aggressive driving. In addition, any two of the following acts within a one-mile stretch of road amounts to aggressive driving:
Aggressive driving is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. There are increased fines for repeat offenders. In addition, the court may order you to attend traffic safety school and may suspend your driver’s license for up to 30 days.
If you’re facing a reckless driving charge in Las Vegas, you have the right to present an aggressive defense to the charges. You may testify in your own defense and call witnesses. Anyone facing a reckless driving charge has the right to the assistance of a reckless driving attorney to represent them.
The attorneys at Half Price Lawyers can help you fight charges of reckless driving. We provide professional and passionate legal representation aimed at helping you get the best possible result in your case. There’s no cost to talk to our team about your options and your rights. Call us today.
Half Price Lawyers
732 S. 6th Street Suite 100
Las Vegas, NV 89101
