Reckless Driving
Criminal Defense Lawyers Specializing in Reckless Driving
The crime of Reckless Driving
Reckless Driving Lawyer
Reckless driving punishes those who drive a motor vehicle or a moped, manifesting a reckless attitude and endangering the integrity of other drivers, pedestrians, and themselves, as well as road safety.
The penalty for this offense is six months to two years of imprisonment and deprivation of the right to drive for between one and six years. However, it may be considered an aggravated offense if there are circumstances that we will discuss below.
The crime of reckless driving is regulated by Article 380 of the Penal Code. The legal assets protected by this crime are road safety and the integrity of persons.
Reckless driving is an intentional crime since the vehicle’s driver is responsible for this reckless attitude and, therefore, is aware that he/she is committing illegal conduct and endangering other people’s lives using public roads.
Requirements for the crime of reckless driving
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For a reckless driving crime to take place, the following requirements must be met:
- It is necessary to drive a motor vehicle or moped on public roads, whether on urban or interurban roads.
- There must be a manifest reckless attitude on the vehicle’s driver’s part. That is to say, the driver acts with excessive recklessness putting at risk his own integrity and that of others.
- For the consummation of this crime, the physical integrity of other people must be put at risk, so there must be people who may suffer or have suffered the consequences of reckless driving.
If you have been charged with reckless driving in Barcelona, do not hesitate to contact an attorney. Our criminal lawyers can help protect your rights and interests and may be able to stand between you and a criminal conviction. We have extensive experience and numerous successful cases in the country’s courts.
Elements of the Crime of reckless driving
The following elements are distinguished in the crime of reckless driving:
- First, driving a motor vehicle or moped violates traffic regulations, exceeding the permitted speed by 60 kilometers per hour on urban roads and eighty kilometers per hour on interurban roads, and/or exceeding the alcohol rate of 0.60 milligrams per liter.
- Reckless driving can also occur, even if these circumstances are not met, as long as a specific danger is caused.
- The second element is that there must be an active subject, which in this case can only be the driver of the vehicle, who is responsible for the reckless attitude and the risks caused.
- Finally, a passive subject is necessary, which are the citizens or users who suffer the risks caused by the active subject. They can also be the vehicle’s occupants unless they have incited reckless behavior.
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Penalties for reckless driving
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The typical conduct of reckless driving is punishable with a maximum of two years imprisonment. However, it can reach up to five years if the aggravating behaviors of article 381 of the penal code are fulfilled.
Those who, while driving, manifest a reckless attitude and manifest disregard for the life of others will be punished with a penalty of two to five years imprisonment, a fine of twelve to twenty-four months, and deprivation of the right to drive motor vehicles and mopeds for a period of six to ten years.
If this conduct occurs, but no specific risk is posed to any road user, the penalty shall be one to two years of imprisonment, a fine of six to twelve months, and deprivation of the right to drive motor vehicles and mopeds for a period of between six and ten years.
Likewise, reckless driving may entail penalties for other offenses when physical damage is caused to other users by complying with the aforementioned conduct. In this case, the most seriously punishable offense will be applied, imposing penalties in its upper half and compensation for the damages caused. The deprivation of the right to drive will also be set in its upper half when it coincides with the conduct included in Article 381.
Our Criminal Law Firm is specialized in this type of crime. We are endorsed by numerous successful cases in which we have achieved very favorable agreements with the Prosecutor’s Office for our clients.
Leaving the scene of an accident
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If an accident occurs as a consequence of reckless driving, and the driver leaves the scene of the accident, fleeing the scene of the accident, he/she will be punished for the crime of leaving the scene of the accident. This offense includes all those drivers of motor vehicles or mopeds who, after causing an accident in which one or more persons are killed, or there are injuries to third parties, leave the scene of the incident.
In addition to the corresponding reckless driving charges, the sentence for this offense is from six months to four years of imprisonment and the suspension or revocation of a driver’s license for more than one year and less than four years.
The penalties may be less if it is considered that the abandonment of the accident has been fortuitous and not intentional. In this case, the penalty imposed will be three to six months imprisonment and the suspension or revocation of a driver’s license of the right to drive from six months to two years.
If you are involved in a reckless driving offense, contact the best criminal lawyers in Barcelona.
Jurisprudence
Elements of the reckless driving offense
Sentencia AP BA 173/17
«La jurisprudencia existente sobre este delito (…) tiene declarado que dicho delito se vertebra por la conjunción de dos elementos:
a) La conducción de un ciclomotor o vehículo de motor con temeridad manifiesta, es decir con una notoria y anormal desatención a las normas reguladoras del tráfico, en clave de desprecio a tales normas, y
b) Que tal acción suponga un concreto peligro para la vida o integridad de los otros usuarios de la vía. Por tanto la simple conducción temeraria creadora de un riesgo abstracto no sería suficiente para la ejecución del tipo. El propio tipo penal exige con claridad la puesta en concreto peligro para otros usuarios de la vía y ello debe quedar claramente descrito en el «factum».
Finalmente, recordar que se está en presencia de un delito que solo admite su ejecución dolosa, y no imprudente, y por ello, el dolo del autor debe abarcar los dos elementos del tipo: el modo de conducir temerario y el resultado de peligro concreto para los otros usuarios de la vía, dolo que no desaparece ni se neutraliza por la concurrencia del móvil de huir de la persecución de la policía (sentencias del Tribunal Supremo de 29 de noviembre de 2001 ; 561/2002 de 1 de abril ; 1039/2001 de 29 de mayo o 1464/2005 )».
Igualmente, la sentencia del Tribunal Supremo de 16 de […]
Requirements for the crime of reckless driving
Sentencia AP BA 90/15
“En este delito de conducción temeraria debe tenerse en cuenta que en el artículo 380 se sanciona a quien conduzca un vehículo de motor o ciclomotor con temeridad manifiesta y pusiere en concreto peligro la vida o la integridad de las personas, de modo que es preciso que concurran los siguientes requisitos: conducción de un vehículo de motor o un ciclomotor con temeridad manifiesta; es decir que con tal modo de conducir se ponga en peligro concreto la vida o la integridad de las personas (en este sentido SSTS 2012/2004,8 octubre 1209/2009,4 diciembre ). Se trata, por tanto, de un delito de peligro en concreto que exige que se acredite que existieron personas respecto a las cuales se originara un riesgo para su integridad física, incluso para su vida, personas concretas aunque pudieran no encontrarse identificadas.
Es decir, que este precepto exige una conducta que entrañe la creación de un peligro concreto para la vida o la integridad física de las personas, concurriendo imprudencia grave respecto del eventual resultado. Por ello, es de destacar la necesidad de que se origine un peligro concreto para la vida o la integridad que es lo que únicamente caracteriza a este tipo de delito, por tratarse de un delito de peligro en concreto frente a aquellos supuestos de peligro abstracto, en los que hay una […]