Reckless Driving Accidents in Houston, Texas

Most car accidents in Houston are the result of carelessness or inattention. For example, a driver lets their mind wander, fails to notice a stop sign, or forgets to check their blind spot before changing lanes, resulting in a collision with another road user. However, some accidents are the product of a more active type of unsafe behavior: reckless driving. These reckless driving accidents tend to result in more serious injuries with more far-reaching consequences. This makes it especially important for victims to have experienced legal help asserting their rights and demanding fair compensation for what they’ve suffered.

At Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs, we have over 100 years of combined experience helping people in Houston who are suffering from serious accidents and injuries. We can investigate to determine if reckless driving was a factor in your car accident, and use that to demand the compensation that you deserve for how the crash impacted your life. Contact our Houston car accident lawyers today to learn more.

What Is Reckless Driving in Texas?

Texas law defines reckless driving as operating a vehicle with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property. Reckless driving goes beyond merely negligent driving, in which the motorist simply fails to exercise adequate care behind the wheel. Rather, reckless driving involves someone who knows their actions are dangerous but chooses to continue anyway.

Examples of Reckless Driving in Houston, Texas

Common examples of bad behavior that may rise to the level of reckless driving include:

The key difference between negligent and reckless driving behavior lies in the driver’s state of mind. Negligent driving might involve accidentally running a stop sign due to distraction. Reckless driving involves deliberate actions by the driver, such as ignoring traffic signals or speeding through school zones.

What Speed Is Considered Reckless Driving in Texas?

What speed is considered reckless driving in Texas depends on the circumstances rather than a fixed number. Texas doesn’t set a specific speed threshold that automatically constitutes reckless driving. Instead, courts consider factors like road conditions, weather, traffic density, and the posted speed limit to determine whether a given speed constitutes recklessness.

For example, driving 20-25 mph over the speed limit in normal conditions might support a reckless driving charge. However, even lower speeds can qualify as reckless in school zones, construction areas, or during severe weather. Conversely, higher speeds on empty highways might not meet the reckless driving standard.

Texas Laws and Penalties (First Offense)

Reckless driving in Texas first offense penalties can include fines up to $200 and potential jail time up to 30 days. However, these criminal penalties are only part of the consequences reckless drivers may face. Beyond criminal penalties, reckless driving convictions result in points on the driver’s license and increased insurance premiums. Reckless driving can also lead to civil liability when it results in an accident.

Common Causes of Reckless Driving

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There are many different causes of reckless driving in Houston. One of the most common is aggressive driving, which can manifest itself as road rage, tailgating, and aggressive lane changes. Stress, bad mood, or temperament can lead a driver to take consciously dangerous actions or attempt to intimidate other road users, sometimes with disastrous results.

Alternatively, distracted driving can escalate to reckless behavior when drivers consciously choose to continue dangerous activities despite knowing the risks. Texting while driving, eating, or applying makeup can constitute a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property, depending on the circumstances.

Impaired driving from alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications can also constitute reckless behavior. Drivers who choose to operate vehicles while impaired demonstrate willful disregard for public safety, given the well-established dangers they pose.

Young or inexperienced drivers sometimes engage in reckless behavior through poor judgment, peer pressure, or overconfidence in their abilities. Street racing, showing off, and taking unnecessary risks often lead to devastating consequences for innocent victims.

Injuries and Consequences of Reckless Driving Accidents

Reckless driving accidents often cause particularly severe injuries, such as:

The sudden, violent nature of reckless driving crashes frequently results in multiple trauma injuries affecting different body systems simultaneously. But beyond these physical injuries, victims suffer emotionally as well. Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression commonly develop following serious crashes, requiring ongoing mental health support in addition to standard medical treatment.

Compensation for Victims

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Victims of reckless driving accidents may pursue compensation through insurance claims and personal injury lawsuits. This compensation can include money for the following:

  • Medical expenses – This covers a wide range of medical costs, including emergency treatment, surgeries, hospitalization, and ongoing rehabilitation. Future medical bills must also be considered when injuries require long-term treatment or permanent care.
  • Lost Income – Lost wages and diminished earning capacity become significant factors when injuries prevent victims from returning to work or limit their ability to perform job duties. Compensation should account for both immediate lost income and future earning potential.
  • Pain and suffering – This legal term refers to the physical discomfort, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life that result from serious injuries. The intentional nature of reckless driving can support higher pain and suffering awards than ordinary negligence cases.
  • Property damage – Property damage can cover vehicle repairs or replacement, personal property destroyed in the crash, and any other tangible losses resulting from the accident.

The reckless nature of the defendant’s behavior often supports claims for punitive damages as well. While they go to the victim, punitive damages are meant to punish a reckless driver and deter future behavior, rather than to offset specific losses the victim suffered.

Preventing Reckless Driving

There are several ways to reduce the prevalence of reckless driving accidents. For example, education and awareness campaigns help by informing motorists of the serious consequences of dangerous driving behaviors. Improved traffic enforcement and technology, like speed and red light cameras, can identify and penalize reckless drivers before they cause serious accidents. Automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, and adaptive cruise control are just a few of the new vehicle features that can help prevent accidents even when drivers make poor decisions.

However, road safety starts with each of us. It is incumbent on everyone on the road to recognize the responsibilities and obligations of driving a motor vehicle and to do so with care, attention, and calm.

Contact Our Houston Car Accident Attorneys for Help

Have you or a loved one been hurt in an accident in Houston that was caused by a reckless driver? If so, let Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs stand up and demand the fair compensation you deserve. Our Houston car accident attorneys have decades of experience to put to work on your behalf, and we know what it takes to win. Contact us today to get started with your free consultation.