Reckless Driving: Definition & Penalties by State

In every state, reckless driving is punishable by fines and possibly jail time and the suspension or revocation of your driver’s license. A reckless driving conviction can also lead to increased car insurance rates or your carrier nonrenewing your policy or dropping you as a policyholder altogether.

Keep reading to learn more about reckless driving and its impact on your life and insurance coverage.

Key Takeaways

Reckless driving definitions will vary by state but generally include dangerous driving behaviors that put other people’s safety at risk.
Reckless driving convictions can result in fines, jail time and the suspension or revocation of your license, with consequences being harsher for subsequent offenses or if you caused an injury.
Fines for reckless driving generally range between $25 to $25,000 depending on your state, the severity of the offense and whether it was a repeat offense.
If you’re found guilty of reckless driving, you may need to file form SR-22, which usually leads to higher insurance premiums.

What Is Reckless Driving?

Reckless driving is a term used to describe dangerous or negligent driving that puts other drivers and pedestrians at risk. Below are common forms of aggressive driving that show willful or wanton disregard for the safety of others:

Exceeding the posted speed limit
Tailgating
Improper passing
Brake-checking
Impaired driving
Drag racing
Passing on the shoulder or in a no-passing zone
Passing a school bus with its stop arm extended
Ignoring traffic control devices, like a red light or stop sign
Texting while driving

What Are the Consequences of Reckless Driving?

A reckless driving conviction can result in you having to pay a fine ranging from $25 to $25,000 depending on your state laws, whether you had one or more prior offenses and the circumstances of the offense. In addition, your driver's license may be suspended or revoked and you may face jail time.

See the table below to find reckless driving consequences in your state.^[1]

State	Fine	Other Consequences
Alabama	1st offense: $25 to $500 Subsequent offense: $50 to $500	1st offense: Imprisonment for 5 to 90 2nd or subsequent offense: Imprisonment for 10 days to 6 + license suspension for 6 months
Alaska	Up to $1,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 1 year + license suspension for 30 days 2nd offense (within 10 years): License suspension for 1 year 3rd or greater offense (within 10 years): License suspension for 3 years
Arizona	1st offense: Up to $750 Subsequent offense (within 2 years): Up to $2,500	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 4 months Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for up to 6 months + license suspension for 1 year
Arkansas	1st offense: $25 to $500 Subsequent offense: $500 to $1,000 If caused an injury: $100 to $1,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for 5 to 90 days If caused an injury: Imprisonment for 30 to 90 days Subsequent offense (within 3 years): Imprisonment for 30 days to 6 months Subsequent offense and caused an injury: Imprisonment for 60 days to 1 year
California	$145 to $1,000 If caused an injury: $220 to $1,000	Imprisonment for 5 to 90 days If caused an injury: Imprisonment for 30 days to 6 months + license suspension for up to 6 months
Colorado	1st offense: $150 to $300 Subsequent offense: $150 to $1,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for 10 to 90 days Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for 10 days to 6 months
Connecticut	1st offense: $100 to $300 Subsequent offense: Up to $600	1st offense: Imprisonment for 30 days Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for up to 1 year + license suspension for 90 days
Delaware	1st offense:$100 to $300 Subsequent offense (within 3 years): $300 to $1,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for 10 to 30 days Subsequent offense (within 3 years): Imprisonment for 30 to 60 days
District of Columbia	1st offense: Up to $500 2nd offense (within 2 years): Up to $1,000 3rd or greater offense (within 2 years): $2,500	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 90 days 2nd offense (within 2 years): Imprisonment for up to 180 days 3rd or greater offense (within 2 years): Imprisonment for up to 1 year
Florida	1st offense: $25 to $500 Subsequent offense: $50 to $1,000 If caused property damage or injury: Up to $1,000 If caused serious bodily injury: Up to $5,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 90 days Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for up to 6 months If caused property damage or injuries: Imprisonment for up to 1 year If caused serious bodily injury: Imprisonment for up to 5 years
Georgia	Up to $1,000	Imprisonment for up to 12 months If caused injury: Imprisonment for 1 to 15 years
Hawaii	Up to $1,000	Imprisonment for up to 30 days + possible license suspension
Idaho	1st offense: Up to $1,000 Subsequent offense (within 5 years): Up to $2,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 65 months + possible license suspension for 30 days Subsequent offense (within 5 years): Imprisonment for up to 1 year Subsequent offense (within 2 years): Possible license suspension for 90 days 3rd offense (within 3 years): License suspension for 1 year
Illinois	$75 to $2,500 If caused injury to a child or crossing guard on duty or for aggravated reckless driving charge: $75 to $25,000	Imprisonment for up to 1 year If caused injury to a child or crossing guard on duty: Imprisonment for up to 1 to 3 years If aggravated reckless driving: Imprisonment for 2 to 5 years
Indiana	Up to $500 If caused property damage: Up to $1,000 If caused injury or illegally passed school bus: Up to $5,000	Up to 60 days of imprisonment If caused property damage: Up to 180 days of imprisonment If caused injury: Suspension license for up to 1 year If caused injury while illegally passing school bus: Imprisonment for 6 to 30 months + license suspension for 90 days to 1 year
Iowa	$105 to $855	Imprisonment for up to 30 days Subsequent offense: License revocation
Kansas	1st offense: $25 to $500 Subsequent offense: $50 to $500	1st offense: Imprisonment for 5 to 90 days Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for 10 days to 6 months
Kentucky	$20 to $100	3rd offense (within 12 months): License revocation
Louisiana	1st offense: Up to $200 Subsequent offense: $25 to $500	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 90 days Subsequent offenses: Imprisonment for 10 days to 6 months 3rd offense (within 1 year): License suspension for 1 year
Maine	Up to $1,000 If caused serious bodily injury: Up to $5,000	Imprisonment for up to 6 months + license suspension for 30 to 180 days If caused serious bodily injury: Up to 5 years of imprisonment + a license suspension of 180 days to 2 years
Maryland	Up to $1,000	N/A
Massachusetts	$20 to $200	Imprisonment for up to 2 years + license revocation for 60 days Subsequent offense (within 3 years): License revocation for 1 year
Michigan	Up to $500 If caused serious injury: $1,000 to $5,000 If caused death: $2,500 to $10,000	Imprisonment for up to 93 + license suspension for 90 days If caused serious injury: Imprisonment for up to 5 years If caused death: Imprisonment for up 15 years Subsequent offense (within 7 years): License revocation
Minnesota	Up to $1,000 If caused great bodily harm or death: Up to $3,000	Imprisonment for up to 90 days If caused great bodily harm: Imprisonment for up to 1 year If caused injury, death or serious property damage: License suspension for up to 1 year 3rd offense (within 12 months): License revocation
Mississippi	1st offense: $5 to $100. Subsequent offense: Up to $500	Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for up to 10 days 3rd offense (within 12 months): License revocation for 1 year
Missouri	Up to $1000 If involved in an accident: Up to $2,000	Imprisonment for up to 6 months If involved in an accident: Imprisonment for up to 1 year
Montana	1st offense: $100 to $500 Subsequent offense: $500 to $1,000 If caused death or serious bodily injury: Up to $10,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 90 days Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for 5 days to 6 months 3rd offense (within 12 months): License suspension for 1 year If caused death or serious bodily injury: Imprisonment for up to 1 year
Nebraska	1st offense: Up to $500 Subsequent offense: Up to $1,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 3 months + driving privileges possibly suspended for 30 days to 1 year 2nd offense: Imprisonment for up to 6 months + driving privileges suspended for 60 days to 2 years 3rd offense: Imprisonment for up to 1 year + driving privileges suspended for 1 year
Nevada	1st offense: $250 to $1,000 2nd offense: $1,000 to $1,500 3rd or greater offense: $1,500 to $2,000 If caused death or substantial bodily harm: $2,000 to $5,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 6 months Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for up to 6 months If caused death or substantial bodily harm: Imprisonment for 1 to 6 years + license revocation for 3 years
New Hampshire	1st offense: $500 to $1,000 Subsequent offense: $750 to $1,000	1st offense: License revocation for 60 days Subsequent offense: License revocation for 60 days to 1 year
New Jersey	1st offense: $50 to $200 Subsequent offense: $100 to $500	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 60 days Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for up to 3 months
New Mexico	1st offense: $25 to $100 Subsequent offense: $50 to $1,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for 5 to 90 days Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for 10 days to 6 months 3rd offense (within 12 months): License revocation for 1 year
New York	1st offense: $100 to $300 2nd offense (within 18 months): $100 to $525 3rd or greater offense (within 18 months): $100 to $1,125	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 30 days 2nd offense (within 18 months): Imprisonment for up to 90 days Subsequent offense (within 18 months): Imprisonment for up to 180 days + license revocation
North Carolina	Up to $1,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 60 days of imprisonment + possible license suspension for 60 days Subsequent offenses (within 12 months): License suspension for 2 to 12 months
North Dakota	Up to $1,500 If caused injury: Up to $3,000	Imprisonment for up to 30 days If caused injury: Imprisonment for up to 360 days
Ohio	1st offense: Up to $150 2nd offense: Up to $250. 3rd or greater offense: Up to $500	1st offense: Possible license suspension for 6 months to 3 years 2nd offense: Imprisonment for for up to 30 days 3rd or greater offense: Imprisonment for up to 60 days
Oklahoma	1st offense: $100 to $500 Subsequent offense: $150 to $1,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for 5 to 90 days Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for 10 days to 6 months
Oregon	Up to $6,250	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 364 days 2nd offense (within 5 years): License suspension for 1 year 3rd or greater offense (within 5 years): License suspension for 3 years
Pennsylvania	$200	License suspension for 6 months
Rhode Island	1st offense: Up to $500 Subsequent offense: Up to $5,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 1 year Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for up to 5 years 3rd offense (within 12 months): License revocation for 3 years
South Carolina	$25 to $200	Imprisonment for up to 30 days Subsequent offense (within 5 years): License suspension for 30 days
South Dakota	Up to $2,000	Imprisonment for up to 1 year Subsequent offense (within 1 year): License revocation for 30 days
Tennessee	Up to $500 + separate $50 fine	Imprisonment for up to 6 months Subsequent offense (within 12 months): License revocation
Texas	Up to $200	Up to 30 days of imprisonment
Utah	Up to $1,000	Imprisonment for up to 6 months + license suspension for 3 months Subsequent offense (within 12 months): license revocation
Vermont	1st offense: Up to $5,000 Subsequent offense: Up to $10,000 If caused serious bodily injury or death: Up to $15,000	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 2 years + license suspension for 30 days Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for up to 4 years + license suspension for 90 days 3rd offense: License suspension for 6 months If caused serious bodily injury or death: Imprisonment for up to 15 years
Virginia	Up to $2,500 + $50 surcharge	Imprisonment for 1 year + license suspension for 10 days to 6 months
Washington	Up to $5,000	Imprisonment for up to 364 days + possible license suspension for 30 days 3rd offense (within 2 years): License revocation for 1 year
West Virginia	1st offense: $25 to $500 Subsequent offense: $50 to $1,000	1st offense: 5 to 90 days of imprisonment Subsequent offense: Imprisonment for 10 days to 6 months If caused death, injury or property damage: License suspension for 1 year
Wisconsin	1st offense: $25 to $200 Subsequent offense (within 4 years): $50 to $500 If violated railroad crossing laws: $300 to $1,000 If caused bodily harm: $300 to $2,000 If caused great bodily harm: Up to $10,000	1st offense: Possible license revocation for 1 year Subsequent offense (within 4 years): Imprisonment for up to 1 year Subsequent railroad crossing violations (within 5 years): License suspension for 6 months If caused bodily harm: 30 days to 1 year of imprisonment If caused great bodily harm: Imprisonment for up to 9 months + license revocation
Wyoming	Up to $750	1st offense: Imprisonment for up to 6 months + license suspension for 90 days 2nd offense (within 5 years): License suspended for 6 months 3rd offense (within 5 years): License revocation

Will My Insurance Go Up if I’m Pulled Over for Reckless Driving?

If you're convicted of reckless driving, your auto insurance rates will almost certainly increase, as it marks you as a high-risk driver who is likely to cause a car accident and file a claim. In some states, you may also need to file an SR-22 form to prove you have the minimum required liability insurance, usually for three years, though this varies by state.^[2][3]

For instance, Indiana requires SR-22 filings for six months, while Washington may require it for up to three years.^[4][5] If you live in Florida or Virginia, you may need to fill out an FR-44 form instead, which imposes higher requirements on insurance limits.^[6]

states that require sr-22

In some cases, your carrier may refuse to renew your policy when your term is up or may even give you notice that they are canceling your policy mid-term. If this happens, it can be challenging finding a new carrier and you may need to buy high-risk car insurance that often carries higher rates.

How Long Do Reckless Driving Convictions Stay on My Driving Record?

A reckless driving charge can stay on your record for several years, but the length will vary by state. For example, it can remain on your record for 11 years in Virginia, while it can last as little as five in Arizona.^[7][8] In many states, a reckless driving charge is a misdemeanor offense, which will appear on your record if someone does a background check. The court may also order you to complete a defensive driving course, pay a fine or both.

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FAQs

Is a DUI considered reckless driving?

No, while operating a motor vehicle while under the influence can lead to reckless driving, the two are usually considered separate offenses. Typically, a DUI is considered a criminal offense and carries harsher penalties compared to reckless driving, which may only be a misdemeanor in some states.^[9]

Can you go to jail for reckless driving?

Yes, you can face jail time for reckless driving in many states, even if it's your first offense. For example, for a first offense, you can face up to 90 days of jail time in West Virginia, while in Vermont, you can face 15 years of jail time if there was a death involved.^[1]

Does the definition of reckless driving differ from state to state?

Yes, different states have their own definitions of reckless driving, but it generally involves actions that endanger others or their property. For instance, exceeding the speed limit by 30 miles per hour in Oregon is considered reckless driving, while in California, it can be as little as 15 miles per hour over the limit.^[10][11]

What can I do if my license is suspended for reckless driving?

To reinstate your suspended license after being guilty of reckless driving, you may need to file form SR-22 to prove to the state you meet their minimum auto insurance requirements, pay a reinstatement fee and take a defensive driving course.

How can I avoid reckless drivers?

To avoid reckless drivers, stay alert and maintain a safe distance from vehicles displaying erratic behavior, such as speeding, frequent lane changes or tailgating and never engage with drivers who exhibit road rage. Instead, focus on defensive driving techniques and remain calm to ensure your safety.

Sources

Justia. “Reckless Driving Laws: 50-State Survey.” Accessed August 14, 2024.
SR22 Insurance. “States That Do Not Require SR22.” Accessed August 15, 2024.
Allstate. “What Is SR-22 Insurance and What Does It Do?” Accessed August 15, 2024.
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. “Licenses, Permits, & IDs: Proof of Financial Responsibility.” Accessed August 15, 2024.
Washington State Dept. of Licensing. “Financial Responsibility (SR-22).” Accessed Aug.19, 2024.
GEICO. “SR-22 & Insurance - What is It and How Does it Work?” Accessed August 15, 2024.
Miller & Webb. “How Long Does a Reckless Driving Conviction Stay on Your Record?.” Accessed August 15, 2024.
Criminal Lawyer. “Understanding the Duration of Reckless Driving Record in Arizona.” Accessed August 15, 2024.
Philip Kim Law. “Understanding the Differences: Reckless Driving vs DUI Charges.” Accessed August 15, 2024.
Wells Call. “What Is Considered Reckless Driving in California?” Accessed August 15, 2024.
Powell Law. “Oregon Reckless Driving Law Guide: Reckless Endangerment & Penalties.” Accessed August 15, 2024.

Reckless Driving: Penalties by State and How It Can Affect Car Insurance

Preston Micalizio

Dan Marticio

On This Page

What Is Reckless Driving?

What Are the Consequences of Reckless Driving?

Will My Insurance Go Up if I’m Pulled Over for Reckless Driving?

How Long Do Reckless Driving Convictions Stay on My Driving Record?

FAQs

Is a DUI considered reckless driving?

Can you go to jail for reckless driving?

Does the definition of reckless driving differ from state to state?

What can I do if my license is suspended for reckless driving?

How can I avoid reckless drivers?

Sources

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