A single Maryland reckless driving ticket can cause your insurance costs to skyrocket and may even result in jail. For years it has been among the worst Maryland traffic offenses, but starting on October 1, 2025, Reckless Driving became an incarcerable offense, requiring a court appearance and carrying a potential sentence of up to 60 days in jail, in addition to its already high maximum fine of $1000 and 6 points.
I handle these cases frequently, and I have helped countless Maryland drivers avoid the harsh consequences that can come from these tickets.
Call (301) 556-8709 today so that I can protect your license, your freedom, and your insurance rates.
The six points from reckless driving are almost enough to suspend a fully licensed driver on their own.
What’s at Stake
Even setting aside the possibility of jail, the six points that come with a reckless driving conviction are almost enough to suspend a fully licensed driver by themselves, and they often translate to thousands of dollars in increased insurance costs over the next few years. Fighting each and every reckless driving ticket is critical for anyone that drives.
If you are under 18 with a provisional license, a reckless driving charge can suspend you immediately on a first offense, even if the court decides not to give you points.
The Two Forms of Reckless Driving in Maryland
Reckless driving in Maryland has two basic forms, both of which are jailable. They both carry the same maximum penalty of $1000 and 60 days in jail. The first is “reckless driving vehicle in wanton disregard for the safety of persons and property”, and the second is “reckless driving in wanton disregard for the safety of persons and property by exceeding posted speed limit by 30 mph or more”. The second form does not require anything except exceeding the speed limit by at least 30 mph. The first form of reckless driving can sometimes apply to a driver simply going fast enough, but is usually applied in reference to other bad driving.
Reckless driving by exceeding speed limit by 30mph or more was new as of October 1, 2025, when the law was changed to make speeding in Maryland an incarcerable offense. Before that date, speeding alone, regardless of how far over the limit, was not a jailable offense in Maryland, even though it was in many other states.
