Law Office Of William G. Causey JR.
  • Home
  • About
    • William G. Causey, Jr.
  • Practice Areas
    • Criminal Law
    • DUI/DWI
    • Traffic Violations
    • Drug Crimes
    • Theft Crimes
    • Sexual Offenses
  • Blog
  • Contact
Call for a free consultation

Phone 336-822-9201

Text/Call 336-471-0819

  • Home
  • About
    • William G. Causey, Jr.
  • Practice Areas
    • Criminal Law
    • DUI/DWI
    • Traffic Violations
    • Drug Crimes
    • Theft Crimes
    • Sexual Offenses
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
  • Practice Areas
    • Traffic Violations
    • DUI/DWI
    • Criminal Law
    • Personal Injury
  • Blog
  • Contact
Law Office Of William G. Causey JR.
Phone336-822-9201

Text/Call336-471-0819

Practicing Law For Nearly 40 Years, And Always Offering A Free Initial Consultation

William G. Causey Jr.
  1. Home
  2.  » 
  3. Criminal law
  4.  » 
  5. When does a traffic offense become a reckless driving charge?

When does a traffic offense become a reckless driving charge?

On Behalf of Law Office of William G. Causey Jr. | Aug 10, 2021 | Criminal law

Most people who get pulled over by the police in North Carolina will just receive a traffic ticket because of their driving actions. The officer might issue a citation for exceeding the speed limit, not using a turn signal at an intersection or rolling through a four-way stop. The driver just pays the ticket and hopefully learns to be a little safer on the road.

Sometimes, instead of just writing a ticket, the police officer will arrest someone and charge them with an actual traffic crime. Reckless driving is usually a misdemeanor offense rather than just a traffic violation. When does that occur?

The police officer has a lot of say in the allegation you face

The law in North Carolina defines reckless driving in two ways. The first is the practice of driving with willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others. The second is driving without due caution. That definition includes driving in a manner or at a speed that puts people or property at risk.

Excessive speeding, racing and driving the wrong way in a lane could all constitute reckless driving. However, the circumstances will need to be extreme to justify charging someone with a misdemeanor offense instead of just issuing a citation. The police officer who conducted the traffic stop will usually need a compelling reason to allege reckless driving, such as high speeds in a residential neighborhood, to justify a criminal charge instead of a ticket.

Understanding what constitutes reckless driving in North Carolina can help you fight back against a pending traffic charge.

Recent Posts

  • Can I Get a Nursing License in North Carolina with a Drug Charge?
  • What are your rights during a police search?
  • Does everyone in North Carolina have the same legal limit?
  • Can you expunge a misdemeanor conviction?
  • What are the potential consequences of reckless driving charges?

Archives

Categories

  • Criminal law
  • Drug charges
  • Drunk driving
  • DWI
  • Firm News
  • Personal injury

RSS Feed

Subscribe To This Blog’s Feed

Start Your Free Consultation

Contact Us

Law Office Of William G. Causey JR.

Office Location

204 Muirs Chapel Road
Suite 100
Greensboro, NC 27410

Greensboro Office

  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow

Phone Number

336-822-9201

Text/Call

336-471-0819
Visa | MasterCard | American Express | Discover
venmo | Cash App | Zelle | Apple Pay

© 2025 Law Office of William G. Causey Jr. • All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Business Development Solutions by FindLaw

Review Us