Reckless Driving
MCL 257.626 — willful or wanton disregard for safety, up to 93 days, and a felony when someone is badly hurt or killed
A person who operates a vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving. The section reaches a highway, a frozen public lake, stream or pond, and any other place open to the general public, including an area designated for parking motor vehicles.
| What the driving caused | What it is |
|---|---|
| What the driving causedNo serious injury and no death | What it isA misdemeanor: up to 93 days, a fine up to $500, or both |
| What the driving causedSerious impairment of a body function to another person | What it isA felony: up to 5 years, a fine of $1,000 to $5,000, or both |
| What the driving causedThe death of another person | What it isA felony: up to 15 years, a fine of $2,500 to $10,000, or both |
On either felony, the judgment of sentence may order the vehicle forfeited, and if it is not forfeited, the court orders the vehicle immobilized.
In a prosecution for causing a death, the jury is not instructed on the crime of moving violation causing death. What a conviction does to a license is set by other sections and is not covered here.
Sources for this section (1)
- MCL 257.626 — Reckless driving
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.