Negligent Driving in Tacoma

Washington State offers an incredibly diverse set of environments for visitors and residents alike. It’s no wonder that most people in the United States consider it the Pacific Northwest destination of choice. It offers vast tracts of undisturbed wilderness and easy access to the Pacific Ocean and the vast biodiversity of that biome. However, a state of this size requires a lot of travel, and that means automobiles are common.

Sadly, just like in other parts of America, most people's reliance on automobiles means there will never be a perfect traffic system that can handle such a huge number of vehicles on the road. With such a large number and a diverse group of people with different driving aptitudes and states of mind, mistakes are inevitable. Some mistakes behind the wheel can be easily recovered from, while other driver errors can have catastrophic consequences not just for the driver and passenger but also for others on the road. In some cases, serious mistakes will also bring legal consequences.

For decades, our team of attorneys has successfully managed legal cases all over Washington State, from complex criminal trials to simple civil violations. We’re ready to provide our legal services to cities like Tacoma and the surrounding area. Our team of lawyers have comprehensive legal experience helping people deal with the stressful situation of traffic charges, such as negligent driving.

Tacoma’s Traffic

Tacoma is located south of Seattle, the state’s largest city. It also sits on the shores of Puget Sound. This makes the city an incredibly convenient and strategic location, giving easy access to urban attractions like nightlife and restaurants, as well as natural attractions like the forested environments or shorelines of Washington State. All of this is accessed more conveniently by driving motor vehicles, but the sheer number of vehicles, combined with other circumstances like the weather, and even the physical and mental condition of drivers, are factors that lead to accidents. It is a sad fact that Washington State itself often ranks as one of the top states in the country for multi-car collisions.

Accidents have numerous inciting causes. Sometimes inexperience is the culprit, such as with teenagers learning to drive, but other times selfish decisions are the cause, such as with impaired driving accidents on the rise in the state. However, one of the most common causes of accidents on the road is when people fail to maintain the care and responsibility that they legally agreed to upon being qualified to hold a driver’s license, and this is where negligent driving becomes an issue.

Failing To Uphold Responsibilities

Some automobile violations are vehicular offenses classed as criminal acts. Reckless driving, driving under the influence, and some types of negligent driving all fall into this category. However, there are two types of negligent driving that drivers may face from a law enforcement officer, and each one has another specific subcategory. However, the basic idea of negligent driving is simple to understand. Negligence in driving is defined as not exercising the due care that drivers are legally required to maintain when behind the wheel. Not being aware of traffic signs, and thus not obeying them, or repeatedly weaving through traffic to pass other cars are two common examples.

In both of these situations, drivers are not deliberately trying to cause anyone else harm, but they are ignoring their basic responsibility to maintain situational awareness of the road and obey the law. Even if this is an error of ignorance or carelessness, it is still breaking the law, particularly if it results in property damage or harm to other people.

The less severe negligent driving charge that a person may be charged with is:

Negligent Driving In The Second Degree

Negligent driving in the second degree is considered a traffic infraction or violation and is not a criminal charge, the way a first-degree charge would be. A person charged with second-degree negligent driving is defined as not exercising the ordinary amount of care that reasonable or average drivers would display in a given situation. Failing to see and obey a stop sign is one example of this since most people paying attention would notice a stop sign and obey traffic law in that situation. Negligent driving charges don’t have to result in harm; a law enforcement officer is empowered to charge someone with this if their driving behavior shows signs of risk.

However, should harm to other people arise, there is a subcategory of negligent driving known as negligent driving with a vulnerable user victim. A vulnerable user victim here is defined as others out on the street, such as pedestrians crossing the road or cyclists in a bike lane or road shoulder.

Because negligent driving in the second degree is not classified as a criminal offense, there is no risk of imprisonment. However, even if there is no criminal record filing, a negligent driving infraction remains on the driving record for three years. Legally speaking, the consequences people charged with this can expect are, at the very least, fines of over $500 once court costs have been included. If a vulnerable user victim is involved, there may be a license suspension as well. Drivers charged with negligence can also expect their insurance rates to rise by 20-25%.

People given a ticket for negligent driving in the second degree have three options: they can admit to fault and pay in full, request a judicial hearing and try to mitigate the penalty with a judge, or contest the charge and argue their case in court.

We Can Help

We believe that even with traffic infractions like negligent driving, it’s possible to mitigate or even overturn the consequences. Our lawyers have successfully challenged negligent driving charges in Western Washington and the rest of Washington state for over 20 years. If you, or someone you know, face negligent driving charges, an experienced negligent driving attorney may be able to help change the legal outcome. Our Tacoma negligent driving attorneys are passionate, committed lawyers who can help people facing negligent driving charges to lessen or even overturn these charges.

Washington State is lucky to play host to a variety of different landscapes and environments. It is widely regarded as the de facto Pacific Northwest destination for Americans and others who want a taste of largely untouched wilderness and access to the North Pacific. It is also a very large state with its own share of urban and rural environments, and for many, that means travel by automobile is a must.

However, as with any other part of the United States, the need for automobile travel by so many people guarantees that there will never be a perfect traffic system. With so many cars and other vehicles on the road and so many people with different aptitudes and states of mind, mistakes are going to happen. While some mistakes can be easily recovered from behind the wheel, others can have damaging or even fatal consequences for people beyond the driver who made an error. In some cases, these mistakes can even result in charges from law enforcement, and negligent driving charges are one such possible legal consequence.

For many decades, our experienced attorneys have successfully handled legal cases all over Washington State, whether they are simple civil cases or complex criminal trials. We are ready to provide legal services to cities like Tacoma and the surrounding region. We have substantial legal experience helping people deal with the stressful situation that is being charged with negligent driving.

Tacoma’s Roadways

Tacoma is situated just south of Seattle, the state’s largest city, and is also located on the shores of Puget Sound. For people with motor vehicles, this puts plenty of desirable destinations within easy access, whether that is the restaurants and nightlife of a major city of the world or the natural splendor of Washington State’s forests and shorelines. However, the number of people on the road, the weather conditions during a given time of year, and the physical and mental condition of the drivers all work together to create circumstances in which a careless error can result in an accident. In fact, Washington State frequently ranks as one of the top states in the country for multi-car collisions.

Of course, car accidents can occur for any number of reasons. People still learning to drive, such as teenagers, may be prone to mistakes, and, unfortunately, impaired driving accidents are on the rise as well. However, accidents can also occur because people aren’t exercising the care and responsibility they need to while on the road, and this is where other charges, such as negligent driving, come into play.

Ignoring Responsibility

There are a series of vehicular offenses that are considered criminal acts, with violations such as reckless driving, driving under the influence, and some types of negligent driving all classed together. There are essentially two types of negligent driving that drivers may be charged with, and within each is another subcategory. Of course, the actual charge of negligent driving is, on the surface, fairly easy to understand. The act of negligence in driving is defined as not exercising the due care that a person behind the wheel is legally required to execute. Weaving in and out of traffic in an attempt to get past cars perceived to be slower or not paying attention to traffic signs such as speed limits or yield signs are two common examples.

In both cases, drivers may not mean anyone harm, but they ignore their basic responsibility to show situational awareness of road conditions and laws, even by simple error. Ignorance is not an excuse for breaking the law, especially if those actions result in damage to property or the harm of others.

The most serious negligent driving charge that a person can face is:

Negligent Driving In The First Degree

Negligent driving in the first degree is considered a criminal act, though in this case, it is a misdemeanor, the least severe type of criminal offense. In some instances, driving under the influence, whether that is through consuming alcohol or drugs like marijuana, may result in a lesser charge of negligent driving in the first degree rather than a more serious charge of driving while under the influence. Similar symptoms, such as impaired reflexes or poor judgment, are still of note in such a charge. The likelihood of harsher penalties is higher if the consumption of illegal drugs is involved.

Negligent driving may also involve harm to others. There is a subcategory of negligent driving known as negligent driving with a vulnerable user victim. Here, the focus is not on property damage but on actual physical harm to someone considered vulnerable. Common examples of vulnerable victims include cyclists in bike lanes or road shoulders who are hit by drivers anyway, pedestrians, or even school children crossing the street.

Because negligent driving in the first degree is considered a criminal offense, this does mean that potentially more serious consequences are possible. While people found guilty of first-degree negligence won’t spend years in jail, imprisonment of up to 90 days is possible. In addition, there are the expected fines, as well as possible probation and ignition interlock requirements for a vehicle. In terms of records, a negligent driving charge would remain on your driving record for five years. The criminal record, however, is permanent, though it is possible to have it stricken from the record after three years or, if it was a plea-bargained down from a DUI charge, ten years.

We’re Here To Help

We believe that even when people are facing legal charges, such as negligent driving, these charges still have the potential to be challenged and mitigate the consequences people face. Our lawyers have been diligently challenging negligent driving charges in Western Washington and the rest of Washington state for over 20 years. If you, a loved one, or someone else you know is facing negligent driving charges, a negligent driving attorney has the experience and knowledge to help change the legal outcome of such charges. Our Tacoma negligent driving attorneys are experienced, passionate lawyers who can help people facing negligent driving charges avoid having to deal with the most punishing consequences of this offense.

Our Professional Tacoma Negligent Driving Attorneys Can Help You Deal With This Offense

In Washington State, negligent driving is defined as driving in a way that endangers other people or their property. Negligent driving is a lesser charge than reckless driving, but a conviction can cause lasting damage to your finances, or possible cause you to lose your driver's license. Negligent driving falls under two "degrees," and each demands your immediate attention.

The Tacoma negligent driving lawyers at the Law Office of Jason S. Newcombe will you apply the law to your particular situation. Consider the following:

• First Degree Negligent Driving is the most serious negligent driving charge. This charge is levied against motorists that drive carelessly and are believed to have consumed alcoholic drinks before getting behind the wheel. This means that a police officer can charge you with an alcohol-related crime without being legally intoxicated or impaired in any way.
• Second Degree Negligent Driving is the most serious civil infraction, according to Washington law. If you are convicted, your auto insurance rates in Tacoma will likely skyrocket, making the price of this charge far higher than it first seems.

If you're facing either negligent driving charge, contact our Tacoma law office and start getting reliable legal information meant to help you mitigate the damage of a conviction. Our Tacoma negligent driving attorneys will do everything legally possible to keep your driving record clean, so don't hesitate to give us a call.

Get Professional Guidance From Our Tacoma Negligent Driving Lawyers

If you feel like you were unfairly charged with negligent driving, or are desirous of mitigating the damage of a conviction, you should seek out a lawyer who understands how the law applies to each individual case.

Motorists are sometimes charged with negligent driving at the sole discretion of a police officer, which sometimes opens various avenues of defense. The outcome of your case will likely depend on the police reports and other pertinent details, but protecting your own interests makes sense when you consider the high cost of failure.

For well over 3 decades our Tacoma negligent driving lawyers have defended Washington motorists charged with these serious offenses, and we are ready to put our experience to work for you.

A Free Tacoma Negligent Driving Consultation Will Help You Take The First Step

Speak with one of our professional Tacoma litigators before you make any decisions about handling your case. With information from one of our Tacoma negligent driving attorneys, you will be able to weigh your options and ascertain the best course of action for your particular situation.

If you choose one of our attorneys to represent you, they will offer you reliable counsel every step of the way and do everything the law allows to fight your Tacoma negligent driving charge.