What is the difference between reckless and negligent driving?

When someone is driving recklessly or negligently, they may cause a car accident. In both cases, they may be responsible for that accident and liable for the costs stemming from it. If someone in another vehicle gets injured, for instance, the at-fault driver may have to cover their medical bills, lost wages and other such costs.

However, reckless driving and negligent driving are significantly different. When someone acts negligently, they simply fail to drive in a safe manner. They make a mistake. They don’t intend to do it, but it could’ve been avoided. For instance, a driver may go out of turn at a four-way stop and hit another vehicle. They didn’t mean to make a mistake, but they were negligent because they weren’t paying attention or they didn’t follow traffic laws.

Recklessness is more extreme

Reckless driving is certainly a bit more extreme, and it often involves intentional action. The driver knows that what they are doing puts other people at risk and chooses to do so anyway. Examples of this include:

• Excessive speeding
• Passing on a corner
• Blocking the flow of traffic
• Driving at an unreasonably slow speed
• Aggressively passing or darting in and out of traffic
• Passing when there isn’t sufficient space to do so
• Blocking another driver who wants to pass
• Intentionally tailgating

Reckless driving can actually lead to criminal charges, whereas negligent driving may lead to a citation and it’s typically a civil issue. But in either case, if you’ve been injured by that driver’s actions, you may be able to seek financial compensation for medical bills and other costs. Take the time to carefully look into your legal options.