“BUT HE CUT ME OFF!”: THE ILLINOIS LAW ON ROAD RAGE

You just saw red. When the other driver cut you off, you got so mad you rammed his car. Now, for that few seconds of road rage, you are charged with reckless driving.

In Illinois, a person commits reckless driving when he or she drives any vehicle with a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property. Reckless driving is also defined as knowingly driving a vehicle or using an incline in a roadway such as a bridge or hill to cause a vehicle to become airborne. This type of road rage is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

If you caused great bodily harm or permanent injury or disfigurement, you could be charged with aggravated reckless driving, a Class 4 felony, punishable by 1 to 3 years in prison and a larger fine.

Where the incident involves a child or a school crossing guard, the charges are kicked up a notch. Under these circumstances, reckless driving is a Class 4 felony, and aggravated reckless driving is a Class 3 felony, punishable by 2 to 5 years.

If you left your car to start fighting, other charges such as assault or battery may apply.

If you are charged with some type of reckless driving or road rage, contact an experienced criminal law attorney immediately. Do not discuss your case with police or third parties. Any statements you make could be used as evidence against you or could limit the options for your defense. An experienced attorney will review your case to present your situation in the best possible light. Maybe the incident really was an accident and you weren’t acting willfully. Maybe you were acting in self defense.

Even if the evidence against you is overwhelming, an attorney who is respected in the courthouse may be able to negotiate a better plea agreement that you could on your own.

If you have questions about this or another related criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)