In many states drunk driving charges can be reduced to a wet reckless. You may be wondering if this plea bargain is available in South Carolina.
A wet reckless law serves as a major traffic violation, although it does not go down on your record like a DUI charge. In South Carolina though we don’t have a wet reckless law, instead many DUI charges are reduced to ordinary reckless driving.
The main difference between a South Carolina reckless driving reduction and a wet reckless charge is that the South Carolina charge does not require any alcohol counseling.
The penalties for a South Carolina reckless driving plea would include:
- A fine (currently $440)
- Six DMV Points
- Higher Car Insurance Rates
This is a substantial reduction from a DUI charge, and is a lesser penalty than a wet reckless would be (if we had that law). But there are still some other drawbacks:
- A reckless driving conviction can cause employment problems for those who drive company vehicles
- Two reckless driving convictions in a 5 year period result in a mandatory 90 day suspension
- Three major convictions (such as reckless) result in a habitual offender designation, suspending a driver’s license for years
While for many it represents a favorable outcome for their case, there still are important consequences to understand. Our position as defense attorneys is that our clients should never accept any plea-bargain unless they are sure it is in their best interest to do so.
Most DUI defendants in South Carolina do not receive an offer to reckless driving. For this reason if you are interested in learning whether or not you are likely to receive this, or any other reduction, contact us for a confidential case evaluation.