Important Factors To Know When Charged With Exhibition of Speed in California
There are strict rules when it comes to speeding in California, as the city puts in place more stringent measures to reduce the number of accidents that occur in its roads yearly. These rules are not restricted only to drivers who over-speed, but extends to other aspects that have been known to result in accidents such as driving while under the influence. Generally, failure to adhere to the set road rules and regulations attracts penalties from the state, which include suspension of a driver’s license, fines, probation, and jail time.
One of the charges that can be made against a driver in California is exhibition of speeds, which is defined as the act of intentionally accelerating or driving at dangerous speeds to show off. This reckless driving is viewed as a crime in accordance with the state laws and is often charged as a misdemeanor. While it carries lighter penalties than driving under the influence, it is a serious crime that must never be handled lightly. Luckily, it can also be charged as an infraction in California law that does not lead to jail time or probation as the misdemeanor would but carries a fine of up to$250.
However, it takes the right legal approach for exhibition of speed charges to be dropped or to be charged as an infraction. This is primarily why right from the moment such allegations are made; the first step must be to seek the services of an experienced attorney in the niche legal area. The legal professional will then step in, and after thorough investigations use any of the most appropriate legal defenses to fight against the charges. Fortunately, since the exhibition of speed does not translate to over-speeding, there is always sufficient room for avoiding any fines and at worst jail time or probation.
The first defense that can be used for your case is to show that the act was not done willfully and that the accusations are wrong and unjust. This largely holds water if there is no sufficient evidence to meet the definition of an exhibition of speeding as per code 23109(c). It could easily be a case of racial profiling or police misconduct that has become more common than most people really anticipate. Whichever the case, proving before a court of law that the charges are baseless takes the expertise of an attorney who understands the system.
A complicated aspect for exhibition of speed charges is that while the prosecutor has to show intent, they are not mandated to prove that the intention was to impress a particular person. This means that as long as one is using a road that is in a populated area, the accusations will be harder to fight. On the bright side, with the right attorney representing you, this is not a cause for alarm as they have the ability to guide you through the case for satisfactory results. All factors evaluated the protection of your rights as a driver while in California lies in being quick to take the right action once you have any charges against you as opposed to trying to face the law alone.
