As a driver, your number one priority should be the safety of you and your passengers. Along with this, you must realize that the decisions you make as a driver will affect other people on the road.

Not only is reckless driving a safety risk, but it can also result in serious trouble with the law. This takes on many forms, including but not necessarily limited to:

• Excessive speeding: This is the most common form of reckless driving. There’s a difference between driving a few miles over the speed limit and recklessly speeding. The best way to prevent this is to know the speed limit and obey it at all times.
• Driving the wrong way on a one-way street: Most people know it’s a bad idea, but they make mistakes and turn the wrong way or take a chance when they’re in a hurry. This form of reckless driving has the potential to result in a head-on collision.
• Illegal passing: You can make this mistake on almost any type of roadway. For example, if you’re driving on the interstate, you may attempt to pass a slow-moving vehicle on the shoulder. Or if you’re on a two-lane highway, you may cross over a solid line to pass a vehicle.

It’s not always easy to follow the rules of the road, but doing so will keep you safe while preventing trouble with the law.

If you receive a ticket for reckless driving, don’t immediately pay it. Review the citation, learn more about your legal rights and decide what to do next. You may realize that fighting the ticket in traffic court is your best option, as it can help you avoid the most serious consequences.