According to Illinois law, reckless driving is not just a traffic offense. It is a serious crime that can include prison time. Therefore, it is important to know just what reckless driving is and how to defend against it if you are charged with it.
Unlike many traffic offenses such as speeding, which are defined by specific standards such as “a certain number of miles per hour over the limit,” the definition of reckless driving is more general. In the Illinois Vehicle Code, reckless driving is defined as driving “with a willful or wanton disregard” for others, or “knowingly” driving a vehicle up an incline to jump it. Without spelling out the specific actions that automatically establish reckless driving (save for taking your vehicle airborne), the law empowers the arresting officer and the judge to decide whether your specific behavior amounts to reckless driving.
For example, you could be charged with this offense if you are swerving when you drive, if you speed excessively, if you are texting and driving, or even if you just change lanes without signaling. The law’s keywords are whether you are driving “with a willful or wanton disregard,” or you “knowingly” take your vehicle airborne. In other words, if you knew that what you were doing was risky, but you intentionally did it anyway.
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