Reckless driving accident A large majority of drivers operate their vehicles in a safe manner, but it only takes one person who drives carelessly to cause an accident. Our proven and dedicated Michigan auto accident lawyers often represent clients where the crash was the result of a reckless driver. This form of accident is especially dangerous because they are frequently involved with high speeds.

Reckless drivers cause extremely dangerous situations for the other drivers on the road.  Nobody should have to suffer because of a reckless driver.  If a drivers recklessness results in a vehicle accident, the other driver should be held accountable for both the property damage and the injuries that they cause.  Victims of reckless driving accidents often face severe injuries and financial burdens, but legal services from The Clark Law Office can help them pursue full compensation for their losses.

Does Michigan Have Laws For Reckless Driving Vehicle Accidents?

There are specific laws which address reckless driving in the Michigan Vehicle Code. This section of the code (257.626) defines reckless driving if “a person who operates a vehicle upon a highway or a frozen public lake, stream, or pond or other place open to the general public, including, but not limited to, an area designated for the parking of motor vehicles, in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.”
Here is a list of driving maneuvers that can be considered reckless driving in Michigan

  • Failure to yield at a red light or stop sign
  • Driving under the influence of alcohol
  • Driving under the influence of drugs
  • Distracted Driving
  • Using a cell-phone
  • Failure to yield to other traffic
  • Excessive tailgating
  • Excessive and dangerous speeding
  • Improperly changing lanes/weaving between lanes
  • Racing other vehicles
  • Making an illegal U-Turn
  • Passing illegally

All of these behaviors or examples listed above create a tremendous risk to the safety of all other drivers on the road.  The penalties for these can include both finds and jail time as well as driver license suspensions.

What You Can Do To Counter Reckless or Dangerous Driving

How to counter reckless driving 911 Encountering another driver who is clearly driving recklessly is no situation to play around with. They are completely unpredictable and they endanger every car in the near vicinity. It’s a situation that people encounter infrequently and most drivers are unsure of what to do. Observing a driver who disregards the safety of others can be frustrating, but it’s important that you don’t take matters into your own hands.  The best thing that you can do is to simply avoid this driver and keep your distance.  Sometimes this is slowing down and pulling over for a few minutes or it might be taking an alternate route.  If you can safely take down the license plate and description of the vehicle, you should call 911 and report the situation.

What can I do if I spot a reckless driver on the road?

As I just mentioned, the best thing to do is pull over safely and contact emergency services by dialing 911. If this isn’t an option, you should take the first safe exit from the situation and make sure you are not in danger before contacting emergency services. Be sure to give as much information as possible including road names and what direction the reckless driving was heading.  This can help prevent a serious accident from occurring and also make the driver responsible for their driving actions.

Where can I report reckless driving or aggressive driving?

The only way to report a specific driver is by contacting the local police department. The more information you can give to the authorities will help. If an arrest is made in the future, you may be asked to testify in court.

Pedestrians Are More Vulnerable To Reckless Drivers

Pedestrians who walk on large busy streets and other high traffic areas often are much more prone to a reckless driver.  The most common form of reckless driving is failing to yield and it’s easy to see why pedestrians might find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nearly 50% of pedestrian accidents were caused by reckless driving and failing to yield.  This type of accident is especially dangerous because pedestrians are usually caught off-guard without a chance to move out of the way.  Obviously, pedestrians do not have any protection like a passenger in a car would and this can lead to catastrophic injuries or even wrongful death.

Common Injuries Caused by Reckless and Aggressive Drivers

A reckless driver can cause just about any form of injury but some are more common than others.  There is one similarity with all of these different injuries, they all should have been avoided.  Injuries caused by this type of accident can leave victims in a really tough situation.  On top of dealing with sometimes catastrophic injuries, victims are forced to worry about how they are going to pay their mounting medical bills without being able to work.  If the injured individual is the provider for the family, the financial future for the entire family is at risk.  Having severe vehicle damage can also put your car out of commission for weeks and makes providing financially that much more difficult.  We handle the following types of injuries cause from a reckless driving accident:

Recovering Financial Compensation After a Reckless Driving Accident

Compensation After Reckless Driving Accident Reckless driving or aggressive driving is a choice made by the driver and is completely preventable. This type of accident by definition is caused by the negligence of another and therefore if you were injured by a reckless driver you may be entitled to financial compensation. While your own auto insurance provider will be covering your “no-fault benefits”, you must sue the reckless driver to recover pain and suffering compensation. Reckless driving cases have a statute of limitations which gives you a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit.  We have personally seen people get so overwhelmed struggling with the pain from their injuries and dealing with insurance companies that they come close or actually miss the deadline for filing a lawsuit.  In Michigan you only have 1 year to file a lawsuit for a 1st party claim and 3 years for a 3rd party claim.  This might seem like a long time right now, but it goes by incredibly fast when you are dealing with the aftermath of an accident.  For this reason, it’s important to contact a Michigan reckless driver accident lawyer as soon as possible to avoid this situation.

Contact Our Michigan Reckless Driving Accident Attorneys

We understand the devastating injuries and damages that an accident caused by reckless driving can cause. If you’ve been injured in a reckless driving accident, we can help you recover compensation to help you and your family with various medical bills and other losses you may have incurred. Call us today at (517) 347-6900 for a free consultation. You pay no fees unless you win your auto accident case!

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