Reckless Driving Abounds in Texas

It’s hard to believe, but of all the states, Texas was found to be the most lenient in terms of laws against reckless and speeding drivers, and punishing violators. These findings were concluded in a data project by WalletHub, a social media company that analyzes consumer financial and government matters.

Not only does Texas not have a specific miles per hour speed that constitutes reckless driving, such as 15 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, but Texas also has some of the highest speed limits in the U.S. Although many Texas cities have rules against road racing, there is no state law on the books regarding this dangerous activity. There is no required minimum jail time or license suspension involved for first time reckless drivers in our state. As far as fines for reckless driving, Texas has some of the lowest. WalletHub took all these factors into consideration when compiling their project.

Overall, as a state, Texas rated poorly on this survey. However, many cities take speeding and reckless driving very seriously, and have designated officers for traffic duty. Yet, even the police will admit that it is hard to prove reckless driving in court. Bedford police officer Sgt. Mike Hagar says that when it comes to reckless driving, police are typically just looking for speeders. Many Texans believe there is a buffer of 3-10 mph over the speed limit before an officer will pull them over, but Hagar insists this is not an official policy. Instead, he says, officers choose to focus on the more dangerous speeders, rather than the drivers who are going just over the limit.

With speeders galore and lenient consequences, it’s no surprise that car accidents are a real problem here. Many Texans are victims of injuries and death due to another driver’s unsafe speeding and reckless driving, including distracted driving and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The sad truth is that many of these tragedies are preventable. If you or someone you love has been a victim in an auto accident as a result of another person’s reckless driving, contact a car accident attorney. An experienced personal injury lawyer will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.

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