Being charged with reckless driving can lead to serious consequences, but what's even worse is when you are charged with aggressive driving. You might be wondering what the difference is between each charge as you work with a traffic violation lawyer to have your charges reduced or dismissed.

Characteristics of Each Charge

Reckless driving has a vague definition. You must be aware of risks associated with driving in a particular manner but choose to take those risks anyway. Aggressive driving is considered to be driving that greatly deviates from the norm.

There are usually specific and objective rules that are used by a state to determine if a motorist is driving aggressively. For example, you may be considered an aggressive driver if you were committing two or more traffic violations. Or you may be tailgating, driving up on the curb, making unsafe lane changes, and not obeying traffic control devices. Committing all of these violations at once would indicate to the court that you are showing no regard for safe driving standards.

Driver's License Penalties

If you are being charged with reckless driving, you may be required to surrender your driver's license for a period of time, but there would be a cap on how long you must surrender it, such as 90 days. However, if you're charged with aggressive driving, you may have to surrender your driver's license for longer.

Other Penalties

With aggressive driving, you're much more likely to spend time in jail. The fines you'll receive are much higher. Regardless of which crime you are charged with, you should speak with a traffic violation law firm like Tolbert & Tolbert, LLP to look for ways that you might fight these charges.

If you can challenge some of the charges you are facing successfully, you may be able to have the charges reduced to reckless driving. For example, if you own a dashcam that shows that you were following traffic control devices, you may only be charged with reckless driving for making an unsafe lane change. 

Traffic violation lawyers can assist you when you don't understand your charges. They will gather evidence to build a case in your defense. While traffic violation lawyers often successfully have cases dismissed, if they don't for you, they may be able to have your penalties lowered if the courts refuse to dismiss the charges. You may end up spending more money than the cost of a lawyer when fighting such serious charges.