Most people think of reckless driving when it comes to drivers being dangerous on the road. However, careless driving can be just as bad. Of course, this is less discussed than reckless driving, but both have been the cause of some major car wrecks. Some people even consider them one and the same. Naturally, drivers can be pulled over and receive punishment for either.  

What is careless driving?

Careless driving is one of those things where the name tells what constitutes it. Essentially, careless driving is a traffic violation where the driver isn’t paying adequate attention to their driving. In other words, they’re not intentionally dangerous, but they’re not focused on what they’re doing enough to be safe. 

There are many examples of careless driving. One of the biggest is speeding by an extreme margin. Recently, a 19-year-old was ticketed for going 118 miles per hour in a 65 MPH zone. A driver could also be ticketed for carelessness for ignoring road signs. The same is true for all forms of distracted driving, such as texting while behind the wheel of a car. Careless driving is responsible for about 8.8 percent of car accidents. 

How is reckless driving different?

Reckless driving is the more talked about of the two because it’s the more serious offense. According to Teletrac Navman, this is different from careless driving because it’s intentional. It typically involves using a vehicle in a way that will cause harm to people or nearby property. Being cited for this offense doesn’t require there to be a car accident as you can be pulled over if police notice the act. 

Examples of reckless driving can be the same as careless driving. These include improper passing, going in and out of road lines, and, of course, excessive speeding. However, as mentioned, the difference is that reckless driving usually seems intentional. This can also be deadly, as it causes about 56 percent of fatal car wrecks in the United States. 

Being careless or reckless while behind the wheel are dangerous acts that cause a great deal of destruction each year. As with most things that cause car wrecks, both are preventable. Luckily, local officials around the country are finding ways to educate drivers on how to avoid both for the safety of everyone on the road.