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Is reckless driving a misdemeanor in Wisconsin?

My brother received a reckless driving ticket in Madison while he was away at school. He always counts on me to help him out in cases like this, so I’m trying to gather as much information as possible. Is reckless driving a misdemeanor in Wisconsin or is it a different type of infraction?

avatar
Eric Schad · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
In
Wisconsin
, reckless driving is a misdemeanor charge, which is more serious than just a
ticket or citation
.
Since your brother has already been charged, you should strongly advise him to hire a lawyer who specializes in such cases. While the lawyer could run up to about $2,000, the resulting plea bargain can save thousands in the future and prevent you from getting excessive points on your
driving record
.
If your brother doesn’t get an attorney, he risks penalties such as:
  • A $25 to $200 fine for a first offense; subsequent offenses have fines of between $50 to $10,000, depending on whether the charge causes injury to others
  • Jail time of up to one year for reckless driving that doesn’t cause injury; up to 3.5 years for incidents that caused a serious injury
  • Six points on your license
If you get a
reckless driving charge in Wisconsin
, you risk a number of penalties—but you’re also likely to see your car insurance rates increase.
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