Reckless driving tickets in New York are quite serious for the following reasons:
- They are criminal (misdemeanor) charges where technically you could be sentenced to jail
- They carry five points on your New York driver license
- A conviction will likely result in your auto insurance rates being increased
- Substantial fines will be imposed
The good news is that reckless driving tickets in New York City are not heard at the Traffic Violations Bureau. Therefore, a favorable outcome via a plea bargain can often be negotiated to avoid a criminal record, lessen points and keep your auto insurance from being raised. Dismissal of these tickets is also possible when there is a defect in the original ticket filed with the court.
Our firm has fought 100s of reckless driving tickets in New York and has a favorably resolved the vast majority of them.
So what do you do if you get one?
The first thing is to be polite to officer. Rudeness has bought many a motorist extra tickets. Indeed, technically the officer could “run you through” the system which would mean, at least, 24 hours locked up while you wait for your case to be called.
The next thing you do is to note the court date toward the bottom of the ticket. This is the date on which you must appear to enter a plea. On that date, you always plead not guilty. It is at this time that you or your lawyer can inspect the original ticket for defects. In New York City, the back of the ticket must establish how you were reckless driving. A mere conclusion is insufficient. If you are unsure, I would still ask the court for a dismissal on the grounds that it is defective. You have nothing to lose.
If you cannot get it dismissed, then the court will often propose a plea bargain which involves no points and just a fine. If you are offered such a deal, take it! This will avoid the need to go to trial as well as the risk of points, a criminal record and an insurance hike. Usually,the fine is between $150 and $300 with such a plea bargain.
Below is a list of courts in New York City which handle reckless driving tickets (also known as pink tickets).
Manhattan (New York) Criminal Court
346 Broadway
New York, NY 10013
New York Midtown Community Court
314 West 54th Street
New York, NY 10019
Queens Criminal Court
120-55 Queens Blvd
Kew Gardens, NY 11375
Bronx Criminal Court
215 East 161 Street
Bronx, NY 10451
Kings (Brooklyn) Criminal Court
120 Schermerhorn Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Kings (Brooklyn) Community Court
88-94 Visitation Place
Red Hook, NY 11201
Richmond (Staten Island) Criminal Court
26 Central Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10301
82 Comments. Leave new
Hi so I got ticket for reckless driving but the female office said something like this is just a fine and won’t be shown on driving record I just have to show up. Is this true? This is my first ticket ever my driving record is clean
Nagiee Tomlinson,
That is bad information! Re-read my post and you’ll see that reckless driving is a criminal charge in New York.
You definitely want to plead not guilty to this one.
Matthew Weiss
I am glad you mentioned that the first thing is to be polite to the officer. I am looking for an attorney to fight my reckless driving case. Thanks for the tips on fighting a reckless driving ticket.
Sutton Turner,
Our pleasure!! We’ll email you privately to discuss your reckless driving case.
Matthew Weiss
hello . i just got reckless ticket , i work with ubber and i was having customer on my car , it was downtown Manhattan , the exact situation was i picked my rider after traffic light then i stopped at stop sign to make right on greench street then i made another right to w 12 street , there was traffic light before 8 ave , i stopped at it , then there was stop sign at the corner of w 4 and w 12 street , after i stopped at this one , i found caps behind me , and pulled me over , i asked him what is the cause for pulling me over , he said i missed 2 traffic lights on greenwich street , i told him that didnot happen , why you stopping me after that by 2 lights and stop sign , then he gave me reckless ticket , and he said you only need to pay the fine and no points at all
i had screen shot of the trip
He told the rider wait just few minutes and you can continue your trip ,
it was so weird because if he saw me passing red light the first time why he didn’t stop me and why you let me dive and cross the other red light and he stopped me after stop sign , so i wasnot drive crazy
I had a customer at that time and he also wondered why he pulled me over .
what is your opinion Mr S. Chaudhuri ,
Michael,
Because reckless driving is a criminal offense (misdemeanor), carries 5 points and can adversely affect your insurance rates, we strongly encourage you to fight this ticket. Further, given the serious nature of this particular charge, you should consult with (if not hire) an experienced traffic lawyer.
Matthew Weiss
Matthew,
I got a reckless driving ticket last month and the date of the offense was dated last year and the back of the ticket wasn’t filled out at all. Do you think I’ll get it dismissed?
Jason,
It sounds like you have some good arguments. You certainly should try.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Mr. Weiss, I just applied for a job and they did a background check on me, the only issue that came up is “reckless driving” back in 2006, 10 years ago. Case still active and it also says I have a warrant open. What is the best way to clear and dismiss this warrant so it won’t show up on my background check anymore?
Thank you for any advice.
Lauren,
You or your traffic lawyer needs to appear in court and clear this matter up.
Matthew Weiss
Officer just wrote the word ” RECKLESS ” on the summons as the offense.
Since when do we get pulled over and charged with an adjective?
Can I get the case dismissed for this reason?
Freddy De Jesus,
Writing only “reckless” does not render the ticket fatally defective. Sorry.
Matthew Weiss
I got 2 tickets last night 1:30am – one for reckless driving (speeding on Rockaway Blvd, Queens – officer said I was over 40 (the speed limit) –
and one for loud music – When I noticed the flashing lights behind me they asked why I took so long to pull over – and it was because I was in the middle lane and needed to go to the right before I pulled over and there were cars passing me on the right. But there comment was that I didnt hear them over the loud music.
In any case I would like to be contacted in regards to this – my court date is November 1st and would like to know how I should proceed.
Thank you
Dillon Jodhan
Dillon,
We’ll contact you today to discuss. These are both serious tickets but I believe that we can help you.
Matthew Weiss
I received a summons to appear at 346 Broadway for my reckless driving ticket. I have a question for you Mr. Weiss; The officer who issued me the summons wrote that the date to appear was on a date that fell on a Saturday. I know that these types of cases are not heard on weekends, is this grounds for dismissal? And if not, what other recourse do I have?
Thanks much.
John,
You may be in luck. Often we can get a reckless driving ticket dismissed when the officer writes it returnable for on a weekend date.
Appear on the following Monday and ask for the dismissal.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
My son received a reckless driving ticket,he already has 4 pts. We live in upstate NY,that’s where he received the ticket. The policeman hand wrote it, as well as knock on his friends door 40 minutes later,and handed him this ticket. He also backed the time on the ticket. The officer claims he was speeding and a neighbor called him,but he also claims my son passed him. There’s nothing written on the back of this ticket. The e policeman stop him a few weeks ago but let him go,but he was very angry at him cause he thoght my son was laughing at him, he said if he farts wrong next . Time he will give him a ticket.I’m sure my son said he was doing 40-45 in a 30 and he definitely did not do a burnout
Kim,
A New York reckless driving ticket is a serious charge.
Reckless driving is a criminal offense AND a moving violation carrying 5 points. The type of crime is a misdemeanor. It can also result in your son’s auto insurance rates being raised for 36 months. Therefore, we definitely recommend fighting it and retaining an experienced New York traffic attorney.
Matthew Weiss
I received a summons on charges for reckless driving ( V.T.L 1212) in NY city. I was stuck at a traffic signal and entered a 2-way lane from wrong side by mistake, to clear the traffic bottleneck. how serious is this violation and how do I tackle this. I have been summoned to attend the criminal court on specific date. I carry a non-NY state driving license.
Kapil,
A New York reckless driving ticket carries 5 points and roughly a $250 fine. More importantly, it is a criminal charge (misdemeanor) and, therefore, you definitely want to fight it. A conviction to reckless driving will likely transfer to your host state.
We therefore recommend that you retain an experienced NY traffic ticket lawyer.
Matthew Weiss
A family member of mine received a Pink Summons in NYC for Reckless Driving in 2009. They did nothing about it . What should they do now ? Any helpful tips ?
Thank you for your time!
Katie,
Your family member needs to appear in court and address the reckless driving ticket. When he or she failed to appear, the court issued a warrant for his or her arrest. This must be lifted and the underlying misdemeanor charge must be addressed. Given the circumstances, I recommend that your family member appear with an experienced NY traffic lawyer.
Matthew Weiss
Matthew Weiss
Hi,
I received a reckless driving ticket yesterday. The car was an undercover cop and was driving very slow in front of me. I got close and the car swerve towards the curb so I took it as a sign to pass so I did. I got pulled over. On the ticket my name is misspelled and it misspells reckless as “reckles.”
Does this improve my chance of beating it or reducing it?
Thank you. Your other responses here have been very informative.
Shoaib,
A reckless driving ticket in New York are quite serious for the following reasons:
They are misdemeanor (criminal) charges
They carry 5 points on your New York driver license
A conviction can result in your auto insurance being increased
Substantial fines will be imposed
The good news is that a NYC reckless driving ticket is not heard at the Traffic Violations Bureau. Therefore, a favorable outcome via a plea bargain can often be negotiated to avoid a criminal record, lessen points and keep your auto insurance from being raised. Dismissal of these tickets is also possible when there is a defect in the original ticket filed with the court.
BTW, a mis-spellings in do not render a reckless driving ticket fatally defective.
Matthew Weiss
hi mat i received a reckless driving ticket yesterday for passing a red light on kings highway in brooklyn. the cop then pulled me over and i begged and begged for him to help me out. So he issued me a pink ticket and he said that you will not receive any points on your license and i said are you 100 percent sure and he said yes. my question is do i get points or not? the ticket says that it is only $25 that has to be mailed in at least its cheap!
Jack
The officer was mis-informed. Reckless driving is a criminal offense AND a moving violation. The type of crime is a misdemeanor and the type of moving violation is a 5-point ticket. It can also result in your auto insurance rates being raised for 36 months. Therefore, we definitely recommend fighting it and retaining an experienced NY traffic attorney.
Matthew Weiss
I got a reckless driving ticket on 2/14/12. This is the first time I was ever pulled over by a police officer. The officer told me he was giving me a reckless driving ticket for doing an “in and out.” A car was parked on the third lane of a busy street and someone was getting out of the drivers seat, the side where the traffic was going through. And because he stopped suddenly I changed into the second lane and back to the third really quick without signally. I am looking for tips or advice into what to do about this. I also read somewhere that in New York the officer has to write what was reckless about my driving on the back of the ticket and I checked my ticket there is nothing about what was reckless about my driving. In addition when I was stopped the officer told me that I would have to either pay $50, $100 or nothing and that I would get no points on my licence for the ticket but I am researching about this online and it seems they misinformed me and made it seem like it was no big deal when in fact it is very serious. Any thoughts on this?
Bekim,
Reckless driving is a criminal offense AND a moving violation. The type of crime is a misdemeanor and the type of moving violation is a 5-point ticket. It can also result in your auto insurance rates being raised for 36 months. Therefore, we definitely recommend fighting it and retaining an experienced traffic attorney. It is a very serious charge.
Feel free to call us if you have any further questions or would like a free consultation.
Matthew Weiss
I came out of a bar with my friend to get something to eat. I had waited at least a hour after drinking before getting into the car. I drove 4 blocks and the light was turning red but i did not want to stop short at the light. After i passed the light i was pulled over and was given a breath analyzer test. I dont know if it was my nervousness because i was feeling dizzy and light headed but they did it twice but could not get a full reading. They arrested me and brought me to a precinct and did another test. My BAC turned out to be 0.015 and soon after they brought me to another precinct where my car was. Before i was released i was given a summons, on the summons ticket it says for “Reckless Driving” violation code 1212. Is there any chance in fighting this?
David,
Reckless driving is a criminal offense AND a moving violation. The type of crime is a misdemeanor and the type of moving violation is a 5-point ticket. It can also result in your auto insurance rates being raised for 36 months. Therefore, we definitely recommend fighting it and retaining an experienced traffic attorney to help you fight your reckless driving ticket.
Matthew Weiss
Goodmorning : I was stopped by a police officer on 12/02/11..I received a ticket for driving while on the phone. My First Question : the police officer put on the ticket where it say Date of offense 12/01/11 … But on the bottom of the ticket where is says affirm date he put down 12/02/11..Can I fight this . Heres where it gets bad as the officer was returning to my truck to give me back my infomation ..I had my foot on my brake truck still in park ..as I turned to get my info I took my foot off the brake my truck moved forward I had My ticket in hand the officer still had my license he got MAD ” say give me back your info ” ..Went to his car came back with a RECKLESS DRIVERS SUMMONS …FIRST TIME EVER ..I have never received anything like this …HELP ME PLEASE ! I have received a phone ticket before ..but beat it in court had phone record ..never in my life A RECKLESS SUMMONS ! HELP !
Patricia,
Reckless driving is a criminal charge (misdemeanor), carries 5 points and a fine. We therefore recommend that you definitely fight this ticket. The other ticket is less serious. It carries 3 points and roughly a $200 fine. If you are convicted of both, you also will have to pay a $375 Driver Assessment Fee. If you fight these tickets, you likely can avoid getting a criminal record, save points and avoid the Driver Assessment Fee.
Matthew Weiss
I have a traffic violations court date in Brooklyn. I was in an accident and after came to realize I had an insurance lapse. It’s been 2 years and my lawyer has been able to postpone it this long. Is there a chance in can be dismissed? What will happen?
Michelle,
I am hesitate to give advice given that you are already represented by a traffic lawyer. You should discuss this issue with him or her. With that said, the answer to your question is “yes, it is possible to get this ticket dismissed. Of course, because you apparently did not have insurance on the date of the offense, it is a difficult case to win.
Matthew Weiss
I was recently issued a reckless driving summons. I was at a stop sign and stopped however another car on the right side of my vechile stopped and obtructed the view of the officers of my car but they mentioned that I did not stop. On the ticket it doesn’t have anything on it regarding failure to stop at stop sign. I have a court date in february. I am very concerned regarding this. Will I be able to get a dissmissal since nothing is noted on my summons regarding what happened?
In addition, I live in Brooklyn. Why would the summons issue that I go to the Manhattan court house instead of the Brooklyn court house?
Please give me some advice.
Sandy,
You may be able to get your reckless driving ticket but not because there are no details on your ticket. On the court date, you or your traffic lawyer will get to see the original ticket which contains the additional information on the back.
Most Brooklyn reckless driving cases are initially heard at 346 Broadway in Manhattan. There is not way around it.
Good luck.
Matthew Weiss
So why is it that the information is located on the original summons and not on the area on my copy of the summons? Can that be a reason to be considered for dismissal?
Sandy,
I cannot answer your question as to why the original information is only on the original summons. This is how the NYPD and the NYC criminal courts have set it up and it does not render the ticket defective. You do have a right to review this information at the court date, however.
Matthew Weiss
I was recently issued a reckless driving summons this past thanksgiving at 2:00 am. I was speeding about 20 miles over the limit to get home after a long day of work but the officer only issued a reckless driving summons.There is no explanation or reason as to why i received a reckless driving summons on the ticket.Would i be able to get this dismissed and should i have a lawyer present for the date of appearance?
Ardin,
A reckless driving ticket is a criminal offense (misdemeanor), carries 5 points and can mess up your auto insurance rates. Normally, a reckless driving charge is only brought when you drive in a manner that endangers the safety of others. Speeding alone should not be sufficient to support such a charge. It should be accompanied by additional allegations such as weaving or a near-accident. On the date listed on your reckless driving ticket, you or your New York traffic lawyer will have an opportunity to see the original reckless driving ticket (specifically, the back of the ticket) to examine whether the officer sets forth sufficient reckless driving allegations. If they are insufficient, then a dismissal is very possible.
Matthew Weiss
Matt
My son was pulled over when he went through a traffic light that was just changing. He said that the light was amber when he crossed the cross walk. The officer disputed the color of the light and issued him a summons for “Reckless Driving”. The VTL code he used was VTL 1111 with Reckless Driving written on the Criminal Court offense box below. Iknow that VTL 1111 is for disobeying a traffic signal. I also noticed a few other discrepancies. State of Licence plate has both NY and CT slashed through both boxes and also time of occurrence does not have AM or PM checked. The clincher to this all is that he is supposed to appear in January but officer wrote 2011 instead of 2012 which is 10 months ago. Any guidance would be appreciated.
Bill,
Cumulatively, these errors may be enough to get this reckless driving ticket dismissed. It depends on a few factors include which judge is assigned your case.
Your son (or his lawyer) should appear on the January date in 2012 that is written on the ticket.
Matthew Weiss
I, too was given a reckless driving ticket that does not specify anything on the back. Like Hannah, I am confused. I read the same thing that she did that the ticket needs to have an explanation on the back. Is this true or not? An officer told me that I had been tailgating and speeding yet did not write that on the ticket. Also, she apparently wrote a 2nd tkt for “failure to produce document” (the insurance card, which I realized later was in the glove comp)–this tkt she NEVER gave to me. I just found this out last week when I received a letter referring to my impending license supension. I thought it had to do wiith my upcoming court date. I had to go and post a $40 bond for not responding to a tkt a never received. Now I have another court date I must go to in Dec. Will the first tkt be dismissed because of lack of specifity? If the car is insured but the card isn’t produced is that a big deal?
Theresa,
The specifics on the back of the reckless driving ticket only appear on the original ticket. You do not get to see the original ticket until you or your traffic lawyer appear in court.
The insurance ticket will be dismissed when you present a letter from your insurance company confirming coverage on the date of offense. You can present this letter in court even before your court date.
Matthew Weiss
I got pulled over for “reckless driving”, here is my story
I was getting out out my parking space and i went into a street. There was a black cop car in front(but i didn’t know that) anyways he was going 15 mph and i was going less like 10 mph, so i beeped so he could speed up a little because he was going to slow. I then began to tailgate him because cars behind me were tailgating me and i didn’t want them to hit my grandmothers car. This went on for about 5 mins. I got to the point where i couldn’t take it anymore so i beeped at him more. The black cop car finally pulled over. I stopped at the stop sign then went on my way. He then pulled me over and gave me a summoned for Reckless Driving. How can i fight this? As i know going 10 mph behind a cop car isn’t tailgating . Please help me.
Ross,
This sounds like a questionable ticket. Nevertheless, you need to treat is seriously because it is a criminal charge (misdemeanor) and carries 5 points. You should hire an experienced traffic lawyer. A good traffic lawyer may be able to get this case dismissed or, at least, reduced to a non-criminal charge that carries 0 points.
Matthew Weiss
How long should it take for them to set a court date in New York. It has been 2mos since my husband got a reckless driving ticket. We have not received a notice of a court date. When he called about it they say they don’t have it in the system yet so not court date has been set. How long should it take to get in the system.
Lynn,
Two months is not unusual to wait for a court date. I have clients waiting 6 months to a year sometimes. At what court is the reckless driving ticket returnable? This may help give you a better estimate.
Matthew Weiss
Hello. I received a reckless driving ticket today for passing a patrol car in soho on a one way street. He was stopped in the middle of the street. Cars were behind me honking, and the officer was not moving, so I proceeded to pass him. He immediately pulled me over, never told me why I was pulled over. Handed me my summons and walked away. Yet my summons does not specify what kind of reckless driving I had done. So considering what you said, does that mean my summons is invalid?
Hannah,
Reckless driving is a criminal offense AND a moving violation. The type of crime is a misdemeanor and the type of moving violation is a 5-point ticket. It can also result in your auto insurance rates being raised for 36 months. Therefore, we definitely recommend fighting it and retaining an experienced traffic attorney.
This summons is NOT invalid for lacking specificity. A NYC reckless driving ticket doesn’t need to contain details.
Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.
Matthew Weiss
But this page said:
In New York City, the back of the ticket must establish how you were reckless driving. A mere conclusion is insufficient. If you are unsure, I would still ask the court for a dismissal on the grounds that it is defective. You have nothing to lose.
?????
Hello thanks in advance. Last week I received a reckless driving summons. What originally happens it was, that I was crossing a yellow light but it turns red in top of me, so the cop put me over. He told me since my license is from mass he was going to give me a reckless driving summons that does not involve points in my license. So my question is? Is true that it does not involve any points in my record? Do I should play not guilty because the ticket wasn’t give it to me for running a red light.? If I plea guilty to the reckless driving charge my insurance will raised and I will get any criminal record.?
What I should do now?
Thanks
Fernando,
Reckless driving is a criminal offense AND a moving violation. The type of crime is a misdemeanor and the type of moving violation IS a 5-point ticket. It can also result in your auto insurance rates being raised for 36 months. Therefore, we definitely recommend pleading not guilty, and retaining an experienced traffic ticket lawyer.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Matthew Weiss
212-683-7373
Hi,
I came off of a stop sign at about 15 MPH, and i got pulled over and the officer said to me that i “sped off” the stop sign, and gave me a ticket for reckless driving. Nowhere on the ticket does it specify what I was doing, just says “Reckless Driving” and the location and time. Is this a malfunctioning ticket because it doesnt specify what exactly happened.
What can I do? Do I appear in court by myself? How do I explain to the judge what went wrong when all the pink slip (summons) says that i was “reckless driving??
Thanks so much!
Dave B,
Reckless driving is a criminal offense AND a moving violation. The type of crime is a misdemeanor and the type of moving violation is a 5-point ticket. It can also result in your auto insurance rates being raised for 36 months. Therefore, we definitely recommend fighting it and retaining an experienced traffic attorney.
We recommend hiring an attorney given the seriousness of the charge. We have successfully handled literally 100s of reckless driving cases. Feel free to call me for a free consultation.
Matthew Weiss
212-683-7373
I was ticketed for Reckless driving for going in reverse down a one way street to get a parking space. The officer stated I reversed an entire block but never went over the crosswalks he mentioned it was a school zone but no children were out and there was no traffic coming. There were a few errors on the ticket my zip code and he erased the state where my drivers license was issued then wrote it in again, the color of my car. They offered a $100 fine and reduced to a violation, but I felt that I wasn’t driving recklessly. Can I have this ticket dissmissed?
Hiku,
These minor issues are not enough to get this ticket dismissed. Go back and take the offer. Otherwise, you risk getting a criminal record, 5 ponts on your license and an insurance increase.
Matthew Weiss
Here’s my story and this was from today in the afternoon:
I came back home from walking all over Midtown looking for a job. Before I went upstairs into my Bronx River Apartment, I decided to move my 97′ Buick to the opposite side of the block (Mon/Thur side parking) so I won’t have to worry about waking up early to move my car until Thursday morning. So what I did was reversed from my old parking space to U-Turn, after that I checked my lane to see if it was clear, which it was. I reversed carefully about 20-30 feet at least 10 MPH into my parking. When I reversed about ten feet, I noticed the traffic coming (plus the police van that pulled beside me) so I slowed down and my lane was still clear; only two oncoming vehicles on my left side. I pulled into my parking and wait for the police to pass by to make sure they’re not coming back for me..and they did. What they told me after presenting the summons was I wasn’t suppose to drive in reverse because it’s also considered driving in the opposite direction and that I’ll cause an accident that way.
Here’s the bottom line: I was cautiously backing up in a clear lane for a short distance at a simple parking space and lastly, I noticed the police allowed a tow truck to drive over the cement divider close to a turn off into Bronx River Ave on my side where I parked thus the officer said it’s an authorized vehicle and allowed to drive like so. I don’t see or understand how my simple brief reverse tactic as “reckless driving” at all but a tow truck can drive over a divider right in front of them. And the officer never specify that I was speeding, swerving, or driving aggressively in reverse so how is my driving action today considered “reckless” anyway if I was careful?
I did what I did because I don’t want to driver all the way around the Cross Bronx (I-95) and risk losing the only available space I have on the right side and I didn’t want to wake up early in he morning to move my car when I can just get it done on the spot.
I also noticed the ticketing officer made an error on my Driver’s License’s Florida address. She put “38 Tara Lake” not “138 Tara Lake” Do you believe I have a chance to fend off this summons/violation charge?
Pedro,
The address error won’t help. Under what VTL section is your ticket issued? Is it for driving the wrong way, unsafe backing or something else? This makes a big difference on how we advise you.
Matthew Weiss
I got a ticket from a police because of “crossing over double yellow lines to pass on left”. If i choose guilty, how many point would I be reduced and how much fined? Or should i choose not guilty because my friend had a speeding ticket before and she chose not guilty, her speeding ticket changed to a parking ticket.
But the only problem is I was the one who called the police because we got into the accident. A car totally stopped there and had no signal on, and I didn’t know what hes doing. So i passed the double yellow line and trying to cross over him. But at that time, he made a left and hit my car. He has no driver license and he thought it was his fault. So we called the police. And at the end we both got a ticket (he got a ticket by driving without a license) So what should I do now?
Thank you
Karie,
This ticket carries 2 points and roughly a $150 fine. We recommend fighting it so you hopefully can obtain a more favorable result. Because the officer apparently did not see the allegd offense, you have a reasonable chance to reduce it or even beat it.
Bottom line: Plead not guilty and fight it.
Matthew Weiss
Hello,
I received A reckless driving, on sunday noon time, manhattan downtown (canal st. area), the traffic was hardly moving, the officer claims I passed a red light, but neither me nor my friend in the passanger seat have seen that I passed any red light.
can I get dismissal? and do you think I need a lawyer with me in the court? if yes, what is the range of prices for these cases?
Ray,
We can try for a dismissal. There are a few ways to get such a ticket dismissed. If we cannot get it dismissed, then we can try for a reduction to a non-criminal charge which carries 0 points.
Feel free to call us to discuss.
Matthew Weiss
212-683-7373
I received a “reckless drving ticket after doing a U-turn. I am 7 months pregnant and wanted to go into a resturant to use the bathroom. The roads were clear. I parked my car and walked over to the resturant. 2 officers on foot patrol stopped me half way there and asked me for my license and registration about 2-3 minutes after I parked the car and literally crossed the street to the resturant. I got the ticket and they told me its because I did a U-turn and ran a red light(This is a lie). The ticket says i have to appear in front og a Judge on 8/1/2011. Three days before my due date! The ticket itself does not indicate why I was cited for “Reckless Driving.” Can you please offer some advice.
Eimy,
You must fight this ticket. If you cannot appear, then you should hire a traffic lawyer to appear instead. Even if you can attend court, it is a very good idea to hire a lawyer. This ticket carries 5 points and is a criminal charge (misdemeanor). Arguably, you are actions were not reckless. It depends in part on whether there were any other motorists or pedestrians nearby.
Feel free to call us if you have any follow-up questions.
Matthew Weiss
212-683-7373
Hello,
I had a really bad night and was wondering if you can help me. Basically my stupid actions finally caught up to me and i got a reckless driving ticket today and a speeding contest ticket. Got pulled over along with another car and the cop said i was going 114 and “racing” in a 55. Yes i was going fast with the other car, but we were not racing as stated. Not like it matters, we were still breaking the law but, just wanted to get it off my chest. The charges were both set on the cops observations, he was driving on the LIE as we passed him getting onto the highway from the northern state. So he didnt get us on radar or anything just based on his odometer i guess, the speed isn’t written anywhere on the summons. Question is what penaltys im looking at? Price? Jail? Community Service? Points? I talked to the officer and after he calmed down he was a really nice guy. He said he wont be in court that day and i asked if i should get a lawyer and he said not really, he said to save my money because the “deal” they are going to cut me is going to be the same either way. Is this true? Do i really need a lawyer other then the fact that i cant take off work to go to court and get my ass handed to me? ( As i understand it if i get a lawyer i dont have to appear in court?) How can you help me? Im 22, just out of college, broke, and just need some real advice. Thanks in advance. Court date is June 14th. Please email me a response. Thank you again!
Daniel,
Since you are broke, you don’t have much choice. Appear at the court date and see what you can work out. As this post states, reckless driving is a misdemeanor and carries 5 points. Speed contest is also a misdemeanor. You want a plea which does not result in you pleading guilty to either misdemeanor. This way you can avoid a criminal record. If you cannot work out a satisfactory result at your first court appearance, ask for a new date to get a lawyer and then give me a call.
Good luck and slow down!
Matthew Weiss
212-683-7373
Thank you for your response. I am broke but if you offer me something to my favor I can see what i can do. I want to know what my choices are first. What are the advantages of bringing a lawyer, as in, what do you guys guarantee me on a case like this. While my car was getting towed i had a chance to speak to the officer who pulled me over and he advised me not to get a lawyer because he claimed that the deal they will give me on that day will be the same with or without a lawyer so might as well save my money. Im not sure why he said that but it got me thinking. Is this why you say to just go to court and see what I can do and then call you guys?
Another thing is that its very hard for me to miss work. If I hire a lawyer will i have to appear in court as well or is that not necessary with your representation?
Hello,
I recently got a “reckless driving” ticket on a Sunday morning at 6:28. The cop pulled me over after the bridge, saying I ran a red light, and I was speeding on the bridge, I was 10mph over. I didn’t know he was following me the whole time. I could’ve sworn it was a yellow light, because I just didn’t want to stop short, that’s why I didn’t stop. I don’t know why he put on the ticket that I was “putting pedestrians & other motorists in danger” when there was no one around. I’m not a reckless driver but he considered me one. I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what to say in court. Help me! Would I need a lawyer?
Reckless driving is a criminal offense AND a moving violation. The type of crime is a misdemeanor and the type of moving violation is a 5-point ticket. It can also result in your auto insurance rates being raised for 36 months. Therefore, we definitely recommend fighting it and retaining an experienced traffic attorney.
We recommend getting a traffic lawyer because this is a serious charge and is criminal in nature. Call us for a free consultation.
Matthew J. Weiss
212-683-7373
My 18 year old son has 14 points for speeding already. Recently he was driving home from a party at about 2am. He was not intoxicated. He was driving about 15-20 mph. He was pulled over by an unmarked police vehicle and told he rolled through 3 stop-signs. They issued him a reckless driving summons.
1- what is the best we can expect with an attorney?
2- it is the police officer’s word against that of someone with 14 points…not a good start…so how should we proceed?
3-is it true they will suspend his license and he can then apply for a restricted license for which to go back and forth to school…and after which he can reapply for his reinstated lisc…after the suspension period is concluded?
4- Do politically connected attorneys get better results ecause of their knowledge?
P.S. this occurred on Staten Island…where the police do overkill on almost everything!
Thanks for the help and direction.
Betty S,
Your son should right the reckless driving ticket. Reckless driving is a criminal offense (misdemeanor) and carries 5 points. We handle many reckless driving cases including in Staten Island. Give us a call as we can definitely help.
I suspect we might be able to avoid your son getting a criminal record or points.
Matthew Weiss, Esq.
212-683-7373
I got a reckless driving ticket for accidentally turning the wrong way onto a one way street. The thing is, my license is from california and has been expired since january of last year. The fact that they ignored that surprised me a bit. I would much rather they cite me for driving with an expired license than with a reckless driving charge. I was 100% sober and clear of mind, it was a simple mistake on my part. In no way was it a “reckless” act, is there anything I can do?
Nicholas,
You MUST fight this reckless driving ticket. It is a criminal charge (misdemeanor), carries 5 points in New York and will be reported to California DMV.
We can help you likely won’t even have to go to court. Based on my experience handling 100s of reckless driving tickets, I am reasonably confident that you can get a non-criminal result.
Call me or, even better fax or email us the front of your ticket and include a return phone number. We’ll call you upon receipt.
Best,
Matthew Weiss, Esq.
212-683-7373
212-726-0135 fax
mjweiss@888redlight.com
Hello
I recieved a reckless driving ticket on 2/21/2011
My Story:
Heading north at 10:15 PM on Rockawave Ave in Brooklyn a car is going really slow, under 15 MPH. The driver also kept turning on and off their turn signal. I had no idea what they were doing and when the driver kept tapping their breaks I decided to pass them. The road I was driving on has a double yellow line but you can’t see it so I did not know it was a double yellow.
However after I pass the car I continue to drive along, when I reach the intersection (light for me is green) an ambulance with its lights flashing but no sirens on stops at and boops their siren. I was driving a rental an SUV and since I did not know how well the breaks were (Just picked it up not even an hour prior and I have rented cars with bad breaks before) I decide to slam on the breaks. There was no cars behind me except the slow moving car which I belive had stopped further back for some reason or another. When my vehicle came to a stop I was in the cross walk but not in the intersection. The Abulance than proceeded on its way again with no sirens only another boop of the siren as it crossed the intersection.
My light is still green and I then proceeded on my way and pulled over at that very corner to let my passenger off so he could get some money out of an ATM.
Right then four police officers on foot who were standing across the street walk over. They eventually give me a ticket for reckless driving the officer I believe agreed with me that the road wasn’t a double yellow so I could pass but told me most roads were, but the reason for the ticket was because I nearly creamed the ambulance. Which I disagree with as I had not even entered the intersection.
I planned to plea not guilty, however its been 7 days and the ticket is still not listed on the DMV TVB site. I do not have a summons to appear in court but a Traffic Violations Bureau Ticket with the Description/Narrative box filled in with “Reckless Driving” and the in violation box filled in with 1212.
I am planning on mailing the ticket in express mail if by Friday the Ticket isn’t in the system but from reading the above blog post I am begining to suspect I was given the wrong kind of ticket or the officer simply forgot to put the court date on.
Thank you for your time.
Michael,
The NYC Traffic Violations Bureau does not have jurisdiction over reckless driving tickets. Rather, these tickets are heard at Summons Appearances Parts at various Criminal Courts in the 5 boroughs. Feel free to email or fax us the front of the ticket, and we’ll do a free ticket analysis.
Matthew Weiss
212-683-7373
212-726-0135 fax
I was on my way home and there were 2 cars ahead of me driving reckless, meaning stomping on there brake and swerving in and out on a two way road, i don’t know if they were intoxicate but i passed them doing maybe 40, 45 crossing a double solid yellow line and the police saw me passing them and pulled me over for reckless driving . I want to plead not guilty because I wanted to get home safe, I had no intentions of hurting no one and I assure you the road was empty ahead of them and on the other side. Is there any chance of me winning this?
Dave,
You did the right thing. You definitely want to fight this reckless driving ticket. Reckless driving carries 5 points and is a criminal charge (misdemeanor).
Feel free to call us for free advice or for our help in defending you. This is a serious matter and should be treated as such. Our firm has defended 100s of motorists from this type of charge and I am confident we can help you.
Best,
Matthew Weiss, Esq.
212-683-7373
Your approach with this blog and website is on track. You are providing good content that is valuable for visitors, thanks! Just looked at your pdf, great traffic ticket tips. 🙂
I am facing a red light ticket this March and, unfortunately, another one I just got yesterday for not signaling and supposedly crossing 3 lanes in NYC on 2nd Ave at 3am when traffic at that time is minimal.
Will call you today …or email me asap !
Ed,
Thanks for the compliment. Our goal is to provide the driving public with as much value as possible. Often people with vehicle and traffic law matters are confused and/or mis-informed. We really enjoy helping people and getting them the correct information.
I got a Ticket from Police -” Reckless Driving”. All though I was not driving recklessly. I just turned in a one way street by mistake in a Foggy dark night assuming it was a two way street. That was my mistake. I never did this kind of mistake in my 20 yrs. driving record. Please help me out how to defend myself in the Court. I will highly appreciate your help. Thanks. S. Chaudhuri. 718-368-0696
Sheuli,
This is a 5-point ticket and considered a misdemeanor. So you are smart to want to fight it.
We’ll call you today to discuss how we can make fighting this ticket as easy as possible.
Thanks Matt