Reckless driving puts people in significant danger and causes numerous accidents every year. As such, Ohio takes reckless driving seriously and imposes much harsher penalties for this type of offense compared to other traffic violations. If you are charged, you could face hefty fines, jail time, and the loss of your driving privileges. Defense attorneys have seen many lives drastically altered after a reckless driving conviction. Here are some tips for making sure this doesn’t happen to you.

How to Avoid the Consequences of Reckless Driving 

1. Plan to Leave Early 

Running late often leads to reckless driving behaviors. To get to your final destination on time, you may be tempted to speed excessively, run red lights, and make illegal passes. By planning to leave earlier, you’ll give yourself more time to get where you need to go and won’t feel rushed, so you can better handle unexpected traffic or slow drivers.

2. Keep a Safe Distance From Other Vehicles 

Make sure you leave plenty of space between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. If the driver suddenly stops, this will ensure you have enough time to hit your brakes—without getting into a rear-end collision. It’s recommended that you keep one to two car lengths back. 

3. Stay in Control of Your Emotions 

Becoming angry while behind the wheel can quickly escalate into incidents of road rage. You should always take the approach of defensive driving and stay conscious of keeping your emotions under control. Allowing other motorists to frustrate you can provoke you to react in a reckless manner that creates a hazardous situation for everyone around you.

4. Eliminate Distractions 

One of the most common reasons defense attorneys are hired is to help clients who have caused a serious accident due to distracted driving. You should never try to multitask while navigating the roadways. Give your full attention to driving and eliminate distractions, such as texting or talking on the phone, eating, changing the radio, grooming, and adjusting the GPS.  

5. Don’t Drive Impaired 

Even if you feel fine to drive, you shouldn’t get behind the wheel after drinking. Alcohol consumption has a negative effect on driving performance, impairing judgment and slowing reaction times. This increases the likelihood that you will cause an accident, as well as get a DUI and need a defense attorney. 

If you find yourself facing reckless driving charges, don’t hesitate to contact a qualified defense attorney. James F. Bogen, Attorney at Law, offers more than a decade of legal experience and has successfully represented countless Cincinnati, OH, residents who have been arrested for traffic-related offenses. With him advocating on your behalf, your chances of avoiding conviction and achieving a favorable outcome will increase considerably. Call (513) 503-7251 to set up a consultation, or visit him online to learn more about his practice areas.