DUI, Reckless Driving And Their Differences

Year after year, the number of accidents on the road increases and these accidents can be because of a couple of reasons and among these reasons are reckless driving and DUI. Sometimes people think that reckless driving and DUI is just the same thing which is definitely wrong. There are some differences between the two although they both have something to do with improper driving and are to subject to several levels of penalties. DUI or driving under the influence is more serious than reckless driving. A DUI charge can even be reduced into reckless driving charge depending on the extent of the incident.

When you are going to be charged with DUI, it means that you were driving a motor vehicle regardless of its type, under the influence of alcohol or any prohibited/illegal drugs. It also means that during the time that you were caught on the road, your BAC or blood alcohol content was beyond the legal limit. Most of the time or majority of the states considers 0.08% of BAC as the legal limit. Beyond the set percentage, you are no longer allowed to drive any motor vehicle. Reckless driving on the other hand is different. Even if your blood-to-alcohol did not go beyond the set limit, you can still be charged. This is because it can be charged to an individual when he/she is driving dangerously. For instance, when you were driving, it's as if you own the road and you did not care about the safety of other people with you. Even if you were not drunk at that time, you will still be charged with reckless driving.

When it comes to the penalties or punishments, it can vary from a state to another. For instance, in Michigan, they have very strict rules when it comes to DUI for the purpose of catching many drunk drivers and the safety of the people. Therefore, the penalties/fines are surely high and the punishments will really be heavy compared to those states who not implement very strict measures on the same case. Driving license suspension for a couple of months or a few months in jail are just some of the possible punishments for DUI when found guilty. The same idea applies when it comes reckless driving, it depends on the state and the extent of the case.

As mentioned earlier, DUI is a more serious offense compared to reckless driving so you might not need a lawyer when a reckless driving case will be filed against you. Perhaps you can settle down the case without any legal assistance. But when a DUI case is going to be filed against you, then you probably need a lawyer. Because it is a more serious offense, then you will definitely get more serious punishments in the event that you won't be able to get out of it. However, whether DUI or reckless driving, both should always be avoided to prevent any problems. And besides, why would you want to be involved in any of these cases when you always have the option not to?

Camelia Johnston enjoys writing for Drunkdrivinginmichigan.com which offers information on Michigan DUI lawyer and Birmingham MI DUI lawyer as well as a host of additional services.