Crowded, fast-moving routes like Division or Sprague offer enough hazards on their own. But reckless behavior from Spokane drivers can lead to an even bigger chance for major collisions and multi-car pile-ups.
These collisions can involve higher speeds, more impact force, and deliver severe injuries to innocent victims. Victims may spend weeks in the hospital. They may attend physical therapy for months, just to regain the use of broken arms and legs. The victims of reckless drivers need to know how to hold the driver’s car insurance company fully responsible.
Reckless Driving Dangers in Spokane
Reckless driving usually starts with a bad decision. A driver may consume alcohol before getting behind the wheel. Drivers may allow themselves to become enraged by traffic and suddenly decide to drive aggressively.
Drivers can sometimes be reckless without intending to. They can fail to check their speedometer on a straightaway, and suddenly be going too fast to brake for a red light.
560KPQ reported on a study from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) that discovered that on roads across the state, around 76% of Washington drivers were speeding. 6% of the drivers observed were caught going over 15 mph over the limit. %1 were going over 25 mph over the limit.
WSDOT found that Spokane County recorded accidents that led to serious injuries or fatalities caused by speeding drivers in 2024.
Speeding is just one form of reckless driving, but it can factor into many different poor choices made by drivers.
Type of Reckless Behavior on Spokane Roads
These are some of the most common reckless driving mistakes that can hurt motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists:
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Brake-checking
- Weaving in and out of lanes
- Blocking someone from passing
- Passing when it’s not safe
- Using the horn and flicking the headlights on and off
- Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
- Street racing
These extreme actions can cause traumatic injuries and lead to giant medical bills for the victims involved. Reckless driving should be easy to prove, but sometimes investigating officers get it wrong in accident reports. Shady car insurance adjusters can also twist the truth to get a policyholder off the hook, or even blame an innocent driver for their own injuries.
A car accident lawyer can fully investigate your accident and collect the evidence necessary to protect your case. Strong cases make it difficult for insurers to escape blame and make it easier for injury patients to demand the absolute maximum for their recovery and financial hardships.
State Laws on Reckless Driving and Punishments
Washington State’s Revised Code of Washington (RCW) goes into what is considered reckless behavior on the roads. It details how reckless driving is considered a criminal act with punishments that fit the actions of negligent drivers.
RCW 46.61.500
“(1) Any person who drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving. Violation of the provisions of this section is a gross misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to three hundred sixty-four days and by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars.”
There is no set speed that earns a reckless driving charge. Law Enforcement Officers and Prosecutors have discretion over what actions can result in criminal charges. The punishment for gross misdemeanor reckless driving is clearer.
Those convicted can face:
- Up to a year of jail time
- Up to a $5,000 fine
- Probation
- A Mandatory 30-day driver’s license suspension
The fine doesn’t include the court fees that go along with it. This can add even more financial penalties to someone found guilty.
Winning Support for Spokane Victims of Reckless Drivers
Reckless drivers may be dealing with criminal charges and a trial, but that doesn’t affect the car accident victim’s ability to file a claim and seek recovery support. The claim to earn money to pay hospital bills and cover other damages is considered a civil claim and is worked out separately from the criminal proceedings.
When victims have their cases backed with evidence, they can file an insurance claim or lawsuit to recover money to help them pay for every hardship they’ve been through.
These are just a few of the damages your Spokane Car Accident Lawyer would be demanding compensation for on your behalf:
- Current hospital bills and the cost of care for any treatment expected to be needed in the future.
- Permanent disability support if you suffer a lifelong injury. Support for medical equipment and home renovation. The potential for a lifetime of medical care and therapy.
- Travel to medical appointments and to see out-of-state experts.
- Lost wages and benefits from work.
- Compensation for the physical pain you endure.
- Compensation for the emotional trauma caused by a frightening accident and suffered during a challenging recovery.
- Wrongful death benefits. A family that has lost a loved one to a tragic car accident can file a wrongful death claim against a reckless driver. This claim would be seeking money for the family to pay for a funeral and any leftover medical expenses. The income the deceased can no longer provide to support close relatives, like a spouse or children, in the future, must also be factored in.
Contact a Spokane Car Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one is the victim of a serious car accident, you should speak with an experienced Spokane Car Accident Attorney at CCD Law.
Contact us after any accident resulting in a serious injury for a free, confidential consultation. There is no obligation, but if you decide we can help you get the most from your injury claim, you won’t need any money to hire us. We don’t get paid unless we win your case, and then our fee comes out of the settlement that an insurer must pay you.
