Negligent Driving 2° in Tacoma

Negligent Driving 2° (Neg 2) is the most serious infraction you can be issued. If you get anything more serious than this, it is criminal, such as Negligent Driving 1°, which is a misdemeanor. Your insurance company will also treat this very seriously and your premiums with reflect that!

Negligent driving 2° is very similar to the criminal charge of Reckless Driving. Often, the difference between the two is a very fine line. The definition of a Neg 2 is driving negligently and endangering or likely to endanger persons or property. The punishment for a Neg 2 is a $550 fine.

Less well known to many, there is actually a second type of Negligent driving 2° - when there is a vulnerable victim. This type is even more serious that the normal Neg 2. This ticket is issued when the negligent driving was the proximate cause of a death or serious bodily injury to a vulnerable victim. Most commonly, a “vulnerable” victim is a pedestrian, a bicyclist, or a motorcyclist. This type of Neg 2 can result in a $5,000 fine and a 90 day license suspension! If you are cited with this statute, it is especially important to contact an attorney as soon as possible because there are very important deadlines early in the process. If you miss a deadline, you risk missing out on a more favorable outcome.

There is a third type of Negligent driving – Negligent Driving 1°. As previously mentioned, this charge is criminal. It is a misdemeanor which means the maximum penalty is 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. No matter what type of Negligent driving charge you are facing, you should not handle it on your own (especially a criminal case.) The experienced traffic attorneys at the Law Offices of Jason Newcombe are here to help you and protect your record. Do not hesitate and contact us now.