(a) No vehicle shall be operated at a greater rate of speed than permitted by the regulations adopted under the authority of this part.
(b) Any person who drives any vehicle upon a highway carelessly and heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others, or without due caution and circumspection and at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger or be likely to endanger any person or property, shall be guilty of reckless driving.
(c) Any individual violating any provision of this section where the offense constitutes reckless driving shall upon conviction for the 1st offense be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than 3 months, or both; upon conviction for the 2nd offense committed within a 2-year period shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both; and upon conviction for the 3rd or any subsequent offense committed within a 2-year period of the 1st offense shall be fined not more than $3,000 or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
(d) Any individual violating any provision of this section, except where the offense constitutes reckless driving, shall be subject to a civil fine under the District of Columbia Traffic Adjudication Act (§ 50-2301.01 et seq.).
CREDIT(S)
(Mar. 3, 1925, 43 Stat. 1123, ch. 443, § 9; July 3, 1926, 44 Stat. 814, ch. 739, § 5; Feb. 27, 1931, 46 Stat. 1427, ch. 317, § 4; June 24, 1936, 49 Stat. 1901, ch. 749; Nov. 25, 1942, 56 Stat. 1023, ch. 642, § 1; Sept. 12, 1978, D.C. Law 2-104, § 601, 25 DCR 1275; Sept. 14, 1982, D.C. Law 4-145, § 7, 29 DCR 3138; Apr. 5, 2005, D.C. Law 15-289, § 2(c), 52 DCR 1446.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 40-712.
1973 Ed., § 40-605.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 15-289 rewrote subsec. (c) which had read:
“(c) Any individual violating any provision of this section where the offense constitutes reckless driving shall upon conviction for the 1st offense be fined not more than $250 or imprisoned not more than 3 months, or both; and upon conviction for the 2nd or any subsequent offense committed within 2 years from the date of any such previous offense such individual shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.”
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 102(c) of Comprehensive Impaired Driving and Alcohol Testing Program Emergency Amendment Act of 2012 (D.C. Act 19-429, July 30, 2012, 59 DCR 9387).
Legislative History of Laws
Law 2-104 was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 2-195, which referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on June 13, 1978 and June 27, 1978, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 1, 1978, it was assigned Act No. 2-215 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.
For legislative history of D.C. Law 4-145, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 50-2201.03.
For Law 15-289, see notes following § 50-1401.01.
Miscellaneous Notes
Definitions applicable: For definitions applicable in this section, see § 50-2201.02.
