Reckless driving is something that every vehicle driver experiences. They are either the person passing school buses, overtaking vehicles, and speeding, or they are a soon-to-be victim of reckless driving. When looking at common crash factors, reckless driving is often the most frequently cited issue in crashes with serious injuries or fatalities.
Even people who regularly drive safety, follow the speed limit, and observe all traffic signs and systems, can engage in occasional reckless driving. Things like trying to beat a light are also considered reckless driving, but so common that people forget these are dangerous maneuvers. You may need to even take steps to show that you were not engaging and reckless behavior during the accident. The first step however should be contacting an Atlanta car accident attorney.
Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated
For most, it is not at all surprising to learn that alcohol plays a role in over 30% of all driving-related fatalities. Men are nearly two times as likely to drive intoxicated, and each day in the United States, 30 people died as a result of DUIs or OWIs.
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated is not inherently linked to alcohol alone. Alcohol certainly plays a factor and is the most commonly identified substance in DUI and OWI charges. However, other drugs can also result in an OWI accident. Most prescription medications that can make someone drowsy have an acknowledgment that patients taking those medications should not drive. Taking those medications and driving is reckless behavior.
Texting or Phone Use Behind the Wheel
As of 2018, it became illegal to hold your phone while driving. The Georgia hands-free law went into effect in July of 2018, and since then, there has not been a drastic drop in phone use behind the wheel. The law states something to the effect of the phone can’t touch any part of a person’s body when they’re driving. But that doesn’t stop people from quickly swiping from one song to the next, searching for their favorite podcast, and changing their GPS routes while on the move.
Most drivers justify this behavior in saying that it’s taking less than a second or two of their attention away from the road. The problem is that when everyone on the road is taking a second or two every few minutes, then people just aren’t paying attention. Distracted driving is one of the most serious issues for drivers. So much so, that the NHTSA considers distracted driving as reckless driving behavior.
Speeding and Street Racing
Before the lockdowns in 2020, Atlanta police were on a mission to crack down on illegal street racing. The street racing scene in Atlanta is not anything new. However, with the rise of social media and people posting more information about these races, Atlanta PD has finally been able to track and step in on these races. Reese’s aren’t always planned, and no doubt, you’ve seen two drivers pull up to each other and take off to race from one light to the next.
Aside from street racing, general speeding is also an issue regarding reckless behavior. People who regularly go by five or so miles over the limit probably aren’t the drivers to worry about.
Other Reckless Behaviors
In 2018 there were over 51,000 fatal crashes, with most showing reckless driving behavior as a major crash factor. While that certainly includes speeding, using a phone while driving, and intoxicated driving, there are other forms of reckless behavior that people often forget. Reckless behavior can include doing your makeup while driving, eating behind the wheel, and even driving drowsy.
Reckless Driving Ends Lives — Atlanta, GA Auto Accident Attorneys
Reckless driving is the most common element of fatal accidents. Speeding recklessly a, a DUI, and street racing can all result in criminal charges. But, for many families, reckless driving doesn’t come with criminal charges, and it doesn’t come with a sense of justice. Instead, the victims of the accident are left trying to pick up the pieces and cover bills that they should have never experienced. Even if the reckless driving accident didn’t result in a fatality, survivors of the crash could feel the ramifications of the wreck for months or even years.
Contacting the Weinstein Firm might be your first step in a direction toward resolution. Reckless driving can certainly cause fatalities, undoubtedly causes extensive injury, and can result in lifelong trauma. If you want to end your case on a note that addresses all of these elements, then call our law offices today. Don’t fight an insurance provider on your own.
