How To Defend Against A Reckless Driving Violation

If you are caught speeding or racing on a North Carolina road, you may be given a reckless driving ticket. The same may be true if you attempt to elude a police officer or otherwise operate a vehicle in a blatantly unsafe manner. However, you do have the right to contest a reckless or careless driving infraction.

How to contest a reckless driving citation

The first step in contesting a reckless driving citation is to call the court that has jurisdiction over the matter to schedule a hearing date. Prior to the hearing, be sure to get a copy of the police report or any other written record of your traffic stop. It may be possible to find discrepancies in the public record that undermine the case against you. If there were any witnesses to the event that led to the citation, you should ask them to testify in court.

You may be offered a plea deal

In some cases, you will be given the opportunity to plead guilty to a lesser charge. It is important to note that pleading guilty to a lesser charge could still result in points on your license, probation or other penalties. If you have hired an attorney to help with the case, he or she may be able to provide insight into whether you should accept the deal.

Declining a plea deal means that your case would go trial, and a judge or jury will decide whether to uphold the citation or dismiss it after weighing the evidence presented. Your attorney will be given the opportunity to question witnesses or otherwise cast doubt on the case against you.

If you are convicted of one or more traffic violations, you could be required to pay a fine, spend time in jail or face a variety of other negative consequences. A traffic law attorney may be able to help you defend yourself against an infraction such as reckless driving.