On Reckless Driving

A person acting reckless is described as being “utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some actions; without caution; careless.” Dictionary.com clarifies this definition by using the word in a sentence, they say “to be reckless of danger.” Driving a car is such a common act that most people do not associate it with danger, however it is probably the most dangerous activity we partake in on a daily basis. Driving recklessly makes it even more so.

Now you know what reckless driving is as an IDEA, but what does that actually mean for you in real everyday life? Legally, a reckless driver in Arizona is defined as “A person who drives a vehicle in reckless disregard for the safety of persons or property.” There is a funny word in there that makes this definition a little hard to understand – disregard. Let’s dive into that a little further.

Disregard means “to pay no attention” to something. In this context it means not paying attention to danger. That is the thing about driving, there are countless dangers you might not immediately be aware of including: road conditions, the condition of your car, other drivers, traffic flow, and countless other factors. Sometimes it might be possible that you are driving recklessly and you are not even aware of it.

So what is the best way to avoid reckless driving? Well the first easy tip is to slow down. The slower you are going the easier it is to make decisions. The slower you are going the easier it is to observe and think about all of the dangers of the road. Pay attention to your surroundings and factor them into your driving. It is all about context. You would not wear a Hawaiian shirt to a business meeting, would you? It is a time for suits. You would not speed in a construction zone would you? It is a time to drive even lower than the standard speed limit.

Drive safely and be aware of context and you should have no problem avoiding reckless driving.